Opinion: Oilers Swing and Miss With New GM

The Oilers dropped the ball in the hiring of a new general manager.

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

The Edmonton Oilers are coming off of a game seven loss in the Stanley Cup Finals. Just one victory away from a championship, the organization made some changes to get their team over the hump. Former general manager Ken Holland's contract was not renewed and the search began to find his replacement. Team CEO Jeff Jackson filled the role on an interim basis, but made it clear that he wanted to fill the role permanently before the season.

The team had several candidates, but decided on former Chicago Blackhawks GM and recently reinstated Stan Bowman as the new team GM and executive vice president of hockey operations. Two weeks after the NHL reinstated Bowman from a multi-year suspension, he is again in charge of a franchise.

The issue of whether Bowman deserves a second chance in the NHL is left to others more knowledgeable about the situation, but what's even more questionable is Jackson's confidence in Bowman to bring the Oilers a championship.

Bowman's tenure with the Blackhawks is celebrated for three Stanley Cup victories, which he had a hand in. But looking at the players the team already had prior to his promotion to GM in 2009, his track record is less appealing. The core of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Corey Crawford, Duncan Keith, and Brent Seabrook were already part of the team before 2009. Previous GM Dale Tallon signed superstar winger Marian Hossa before departing the team as well, leaving Bowman with a championship roster in place.

During the 2009-2010 championship season, Bowman brought in six players. They combined for zero playoff points in three games played. Nick Leddy, the most notable player acquired that season, would go on to play his best hockey once he left the Blackhawks.

Fast forward to the 2013 and 2015 Cup-winning season, and the biggest additions the Blackhawks make are drafting forward Brandon Saad, who will play a part in their 2013 championship team, and Michael Handzus, an aging center who put up 11 points during their 2015 Cup run.

Luckily for Bowman, he arrives in Edmonton with the core already in place again. A core that was good enough to take the Stanley Cup-winning Florida Panthers to the brink in a seven-game series. Jeff Jackson also did the difficult work of free agency negotiations this summer, bringing in forwards Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson to supplement superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Which means that Bowman can do what he does best, trade a draft pick for a veteran on an expiring deal and claim it to be the piece that the team was missing for a playoff run.

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