For those of you old enough to remember the comedian Rodney Dangerfield, his big schtick was “I don’t get no respect.” The same can be said for Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland, especially in some circles. Even though he engineered some positive moves at the 2023 NHL Draft and on the first day of NHL Free Agency, Holland still has his share of skeptics and critics.
You have to have thick skin to be a GM in a Canadian market, as it seems no matter what you might try and do, there’s always someone on the sidelines thinking that you could, and should, be doing more.
Holland Did Some Tidy Work at the NHL Draft
At the draft, Holland managed to move out Kailer Yamamoto’s $3 million per year salary as he got Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman to take Yamamoto and Klim Kostin off his hands. Losing both players was tough, especially Kostin who earned a raise to $2 million per season when Detroit re-signed him. But at $2 million per season, Kostin was deemed too expensive for the Oilers at this point, despite his positive contributions to the club in the 2022-23 NHL season.
Holland Strengthened the Oilers on Day 1 of NHL Free Agency
The biggest move the Oilers made on July 1 was when Holland signed former Washington Capitals forward Connor Brown to a one-year, $775,000 contract loaded with $3.25 million in bonus incentives.
The move reunites Brown with former Erie Otters teammate Connor McDavid and could make the Oilers’ already strong top-six forward unit that much better. Brown is coming off of knee surgery and should be well-rested as he only appeared in four games for the Capitals in 2022-23.
Holland Still Has to Sign Evan Bouchard and Ryan McLeod
Some fans might blame Holland for mismanaging the salary cap, especially with the overpay that Darnell Nurse received, but in fairness player salaries have far exceeded the average amount that the cap has gone up in the past five years. Sure Holland isn’t perfect. He will have to bridge both Evan Bouchard and Ryan McLeod this season. That’s part of a price to pay when you have some of the best and highest-paid talent in the league on a team that has been inching closer to the Stanley Cup. Holland has made it clear that the Oilers need to be all in to win right now.
Holland Has Improved the Oilers Since Arriving in Edmonton
Looking at Holland’s record since he arrived in 2019-20, he’s improved the Oilers record each regular season, and has been building towards more success in the playoffs. The team has inched closer in the past two playoff years losing to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in 2022 and the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2023.
Related: Grading the Oilers’ Start to 2023 Free Agency
Maybe 2024 will be Holland and the Oilers’ year. During Holland’s tenure he’s either signed or traded for solid NHLers including: Connor Brown, Mattias Ekholm, Zach Hyman, and Evander Kane. The jury is still out on signing goalie Jack Campbell, who had a tough 2022-23 season but bounced back well in the playoffs. There’s also the misstep Holland made in bringing in Andreas Athanasiou, but not everyone is perfect.
Holland Will Need Prospects to Step up BIG Time
The 2023-24 season is where the rubber will hit the road for prospects such as Dylan Holloway, Philip Broberg and Xavier Bourgault. Holloway and Broberg will especially be counted on to play more minutes and contribute. If both players along with Bourgault can make significant contributions this upcoming season, the Oilers will have a legitimate shot at going far in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
An Important Season in Oilers History is Coming Up
Some people are calling this upcoming season one of the most important in Oilers history. It’s also very important for Holland and his legacy. Holland has done nothing but improve the organization since he got here four years ago. Now in his fifth, and possibly final, year of his contract as GM of the Oilers, he wants to go out a winner. He’s pushing his chips all in and gambling on this team to finally get over the hump and win a Stanley Cup. Not just for McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins but as a great bookend for Holland himself. If the Oilers do win it all in 2024, it would mark their sixth Stanley Cup championship in franchise history and it would be Holland’s fifth championship in his Hall of Fame career. As always, time will tell.