Oilers Hire Stan Bowman as New General Manager

The Edmonton Oilers have put their general manager search to an end with the hiring of Stan Bowman.

Mar 2, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Team North America associate general manager Stan Bowman speaks to media during a press conference for the upcoming 2016 World Cup of Hockey at Intercontinental Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports / Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Coming off of a heartbreaking defeat in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Edmonton Oilers have found a new leader for their front office. First reported by Elliotte Friedman of SportsNet, the Oilers will hire Stan Bowman as their next general manager.

The Oilers officially announced the hiring soon after adding the role of executive vice president of hockey operations.

The #Oilers have named Stan Bowman General Manager & Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations.

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) July 24, 2024

"I am excited and pleased to be welcoming Stan to the Edmonton Oilers," Oilers CEO of Hockey Operations Jeff Jackson said. "I believe his vast experience and proven success in this role, together with the important work he has done in his time away from the game, fits our goal of being best in class when it comes to all facets of our organization. Through our many conversations, we share a common vision of where we are as a team and what is required to achieve another Stanley Cup title."

Bowman spent about two decades in the Chicago Blackhawks front office, where he was part of three Stanley Cup championships. Despite the success, Bowman and the Blackhawks’ legacy will forever be stained due to the covering up of sexual assault allegations.

Bowman, along with former Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville and front office executive Al MacIsaac, were banned from working in the NHL in 2021. The NHL recently reinstated the three, making them eligible to find employment once again within the league.

The Oilers have been linked to Bowman ever since he was reinstated, and now he becomes the first of the three to find themselves back with an NHL team.

Bowman is taking over for Jackson, who held an interim general manager role at the start of the offseason. Following their loss in the Stanley Cup Final, Ken Holland decided to step down from his position as Oilers’ president and general manager.

Holland has held the roles of president and general manager since 2019. When Holland joined, it was on a five-year deal that ran out at the end of the 2023-24 season.

During Holland’s time as president and GM, the Oilers made the postseason each year, including a conference finals appearance in 2022 and the most recent Cup Final.

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