"I wonder if this group's been together too long and maybe we need to change it up," Rutherford said on 105.9 FM in Pittsburgh on Wednesday. "But that's what I'll watch for here in the next few games."
Without singling out anyone, Rutherford said some Penguins seem comfortable relying on Malkin, Sidney Crosby, Phil Kessel and Kris Letang.
"Guys win Stanley Cups and a lot of guys go their whole career and don't even get close to it," Rutherford said. "We've got a couple young guys who have won a couple. They get bigger contracts and then they kind of settle in. They forget what got them to where they are today."
Bryan Rust, a 26-year-old forward who signed a four-year contract with an average annual value of $3.5 million on June 26, has three points (one goal, two assists) in 14 games. He said he would use what Rutherford said as motivation.
"I think, for me, I just take it as his opinion," Rust said. "Obviously, he's the guy who makes the decisions around here. So you have to take that with a grain of salt. I think it does motivate guys. You just have to work a little harder."
During their losing streak, the Penguins have been outscored 21-7.
"We're not playing with any energy or determination," Rutherford said. "We're just trying to get through the games. These other teams are coming and they're outworking us, and they deserve to beat us."
Crosby hadn't heard the interview but offered a guess at what the GM said.
"I'm sure he was upset like all of us," the Pittsburgh captain said. "We don't like being in this position. As players, our job is to go out there and play. ... I'm not sure what he said, but I'm sure it was probably similar to the feelings that we had and the frustration that we had losing five in a row."
