With the resignation of Oilers special advisor (and former Oilers player) Steve Staios on Sept. 29, the future of the general manager (GM) position in Edmonton is now as clear as mud. Staios, who was hired by the Oilers on Oct. 6, 2022, was thought to be a potential candidate for the GM job in Edmonton should current Oilers GM Ken Holland retire at the end of this season. Staios, who is now the president of hockey operations for the Ottawa Senators has close ties to new Senators owner Michael Andlauer with the Ontario Hockey League’s Hamilton (now Brantford) Bulldogs. It’ll be interesting to see how the Senators progress under the guidance of Staios.
So now that Staios has moved on, the next question for the Oilers is what will happen when Holland’s current five-year contract expires at the end of this season?
Possible Front Office Scenarios for the Oilers
It’s going to be interesting to see who the GM of the Oilers will be in 2024-25. Oilers CEO of hockey operations Jeff Jackson has already made some astute moves in his first two months on the job in Edmonton by hiring Rick Pracey as director of amateur scouting and Michael Parkatti as senior director of data and analytics. You have to be sure the wheels are turning with Jackson in terms of his plans for the Oilers’ GM position after this season. Right now, there are three scenarios that could play out for Jackson and the Oilers:
Scenario 1: Ken Holland Comes Back for Another Season
This may depend on the success of the Oilers in the current 2023-24 season. If they win the Stanley Cup, it might be the icing on the cake for Holland, and he may choose to wind things down. However, he could be back for the 2024-25 season and that wouldn’t be a bad thing for the Oilers organization. Holland, who has been handcuffed by the salary cap during most of his time in Edmonton, has brought some stability to the organization. His trade for Mattias Ekholm and the signing of Zach Hyman, Evander Kane, and Connor Brown have been high points. Depending on his relationship with Jackson, and what plans may already be in place, there could be a chance that he signs with Edmonton for another season. Especially if the Oilers don’t win it all. His “Green Bananas” statement (we can’t wait for prospects to ripen) at a press conference last spring may have revealed what his future plans are.
Related: Cracking the Oilers and Ken Holland “Green Bananas” Code
Holland and the Oilers are in win-now mode. It’ll be interesting to see how this scenario plays out, and who knows – the addition of Parkatti in terms of analytics might give him some new life in terms of future trades and acquisitions for the organization.
Scenario 2: Oilers Promote Assistant General Managers Keith Gretzky or Brad Holland
Both Keith Gretzky and Brad Holland appear to be seasoned enough to be promoted to the GM’s chair. Gretzky has done a good job overseeing the Oilers American Hockey League (AHL) franchise, the Bakersfield Condors. In Gretzky’s capacity as GM of the Condors, Bakersfield has been competitive-making the playoffs the past five years and more importantly, they’ve provided the Oilers with a good supply of NHL-ready prospects from Vincent Desharnais and Ryan McLeod to Stuart Skinner. Gretzky has shown he’s more than ready to take the next step.
Brad Holland worked diligently, leading the charge in the Oilers’ pursuit of Ekholm last February and March. The trade for Ekholm might’ve been the best deal of the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline. That alone should qualify him for a promotion to take over the GM’s chair from his father. He is also known for understanding and utilizing analytics which is so important in today’s NHL. He is a respected name in the hockey world and was linked to being a potential candidate for the Toronto Maple Leafs GM job which was eventually filled by Brad Treliving.
Scenario 3: The Wildcard
Oilers CEO of hockey ops, Jackson, has been full of some positive surprises in his first two months on the job. Is he ready to pull another rabbit out of the hat when it comes to the GM position next season? That’s what makes following the front office almost as intriguing as the Oilers on the ice. Based on his performance in just two months on the job in Edmonton, fans could expect something big to happen. But that remains to be seen, and with Jackson playing his cards so close to his chest, you just never know who he may have in mind.
Oilers’ Future Is in Good Hands
Right now the future looks bright for the Oilers. With superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl at the height of their powers and a strong mix of veterans and youth, they should be in contention for the Stanley Cup for the next few years. Who the GM will be next season is anybody’s guess. With the departure of Staios, you can obviously eliminate his name from the mix, but it’ll be interesting to see what happens over the next nine months in terms of the front office. When it comes to the Oilers, you can probably expect the unexpected.
