Oilers Restructure Front Office, Bob Nicholson Now Chairman

The Oilers have missed the playoffs in 12 of the last 13 years.

EDMONTON, Alberta— The Edmonton Oilers promoted one executive Monday and hired another in a front-office restructuring of a team that has missed the playoffs 12 of the last 13 years.

CEO and vice chairman Bob Nicholson will become chairman. Former Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs executive Tom Anselmi joins the team as president, business operations and chief operating officer.

Nicholson came to the Oilers in 2014 after 16 years at Hockey Canada. He will be in charge of all of Oilers Entertainment Group's sports franchises, including the NHL team and affiliates in the Western Hockey League and American Hockey League.

Ken Holland, the new president of hockey operations/general manager, will report to Nicholson. Holland hired Dave Tippett as coach last month.

Anselmi will run all OEG business operations. He was at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment for 17 years before resigning in 2013. He was president/CEO of the Senators for just more than a year starting in 2017.