Report: Utah Looking to Hire Former Oilers GM

Utah Hockey Club is hoping to make waves in its inaugural season.

Jun 7, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland, left, and head coach Kris Knoblauch take questions during media day in advance of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Just a few months after mutually agreeing to part ways with the Edmonton Oilers, Ken Holland might be joining the Utah Hockey Club’s front office. According to former NHLer Jordan Schmaltz, Holland will be joining Utah’s front office “in some fashion.”

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman followed up on the initial report by saying Holland was invited to training camp as a guest and nothing formal has been finalized. Holland has numerous connections to Utah’s front office and he doesn’t seem ready to completely retire from working in the NHL.

At camp this week, invited as a guest since he knows people in the organization. Nothing formal in terms of a position.

Holland will have options, so we will things how things unfold for him. https://t.co/qKe5j6vV9T

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) September 19, 2024

Before taking over the Oilers front office in 2019, Holland spent over two decades as general manager of the Detroit Red Wings. During that time, he helped bring the Stanley Cup back to Detroit four times.

Holland joined the Oilers in 2019 and almost managed his fifth career Cup to end his tenure in Edmonton. In this past Stanley Cup Final, the Oilers clawed back from down 3-0 in the series to the Florida Panthers and forced a Game 7.

The Panthers ended up winning and securing their franchise’s first Stanley Cup, but Holland finally built an Oilers squad capable of reaching the mountaintop. Following the 2023-24 season, Holland left the Oilers, but did not announce and official retirement.

Holland was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020 as a builder and is looking to add to his legacy.

The Utah Hockey Club have a general manager in Bill Armstrong, who has been leading the organization since September of 2020 when they were still the Arizona Coyotes.

Owned by Ryan Smith and the Smith Entertainment Group, Utah likely has various roles open for the Hall of Famer builder.

With Utah finally out of Arizona, the organization is looking to get things started on the right foot. Bringing in someone of Holland’s stature to the front office could be the right move to start building a winner right away.

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