Jeff Jackson isn’t interested in continuing in his current role as the Edmonton Oilers general manager (GM). He reiterated that once again two days ago when speaking with the media, while saying that he’d like to hire someone within the next 10 or so days. It wasn’t the news fans were hoping to hear, though they should feel confident that he’ll make the right decision.
Jackson is serving as the Oilers’ interim GM following Ken Holland’s departure. He was hired by the Oilers nearly a year ago to serve as their CEO of hockey operations, a role which he seems to prefer over being GM. While an exact day for a new hire remains to be seen, here are four candidates Jackson could take a look at in his search for a replacement.
Brad Holland
One internal candidate who has received a lot of discussion about being the future GM of the Oilers is Brad Holland. The son of Ken has worked in the organization since 2019, first serving as a scout and then transitioning to an assistant GM role ahead of the 2022-23 season.
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Holland has also worked with the Toronto Maple Leafs organization in the past in a hockey operations role. He is known to be great when it comes to analytics, often allowing them to play a big part in his decision-making. That is becoming a bigger and bigger part of today’s NHL, and could prove to be very beneficial for the Oilers.
Keith Gretzky
Another internal candidate, and one who at this time seems to be generating more buzz than Holland, is Keith Gretzky. Gretzky, who is a brother to Wayne, began working in the Oilers organization in 2016. He serves as the GM of the American Hockey League’s Bakersfield Condors but has worked closely alongside Holland over the years to help with decisions related to the Oilers.
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Gretzky is said to have had a big role in the Oilers offseason thus far, which could bode well for him landing the job. The Oilers have been arguably the biggest winner of all 32 teams so far this summer, signing Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson, while also being able to land a top prospect from the Buffalo Sabres in Matt Savoie.
Stan Bowman
One outside name that has been linked to the Oilers GM position is Stan Bowman. The 51-year-old was recently reinstated by the NHL, and is available to be hired by all 32 teams across the league. He helped lead the Chicago Blackhawks to three Stanley Cup Championships in 2010, 2013, and 2015.
While Bowman’s resume speaks for itself, hiring him would come with plenty of controversy given the situation regarding the Kyle Beach scandal which led to his firing from the Blackhawks. A team may be willing to give him another shot, but whether the Oilers are willing to do so and take on the scrutiny that would come with it remains to be seen.
Mark Hunter
Another name outside the organization that has been linked to the Oilers’ vacant GM position is Mark Hunter. The 61-year-old, who played over 600 games in the NHL, currently serves as the owner and GM of the London Knights, who year in and year out are one of the best teams in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL).
Hunter has some front office experience at the NHL level, as well, serving as the assistant GM for the Maple Leafs from 2014 to 2018. He has also served as the GM for Team Canada at the World Juniors, helping lead them to a gold medal in 2020.
Oilers in Good Hands
As mentioned, Oilers fans hoped, and are even still hoping, that Jackson will remain the GM. Given the fact he’s stated several times he doesn’t want the role, suggests he’s already ruled out the possibility. It’s not all negative, however, as he has proven to be a very smart hockey mind, meaning fans can feel confident that whenever he does make his decision on a replacement, it will be the right one.
