According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, Ken Holland is expected to be named the general manager of the Edmonton Oilers. Holland is expected to make $25 million over the course of his five-year contract with Edmonton.
The paperwork still has to get done. Provided all of that is managed today, expect the Oilers to introduce Holland as the new GM in the next few days. Holland will have autonomy and Nicholson could take on a bigger role as well. https://t.co/xnh9eyu6Rh
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) May 5, 2019
Ken Holland Expected To Join Edmonton
Holland has spent the last 36 years with the Detroit Red Wings, with the last 22 years as the general manager. Over those 36 years, Holland has brought four Stanley Cup Championships to the city of Detroit. The Red Wings have failed to make the playoffs for the past three seasons. Prior to that, the Red Wings had a string of 25 straight years making the playoffs.
This move comes after Steve Yzerman was named the general manager in Detroit last month. Yzerman had spent the previous eight years with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He spent his final season in Tampa as a consultant for the team.
Ken Holland Looks to Fix The Edmonton Oilers
Holland takes over for Peter Chiarelli who was the general manager of the Oilers beginning in April of 2015 and was fired just prior to the trade deadline. Keith Gretzky took over as interim general manager and finished the season in the role. Chiarelli made some questionable moves with the Oilers with the worst of the bunch being trading Taylor Hall to the New Jersey Devils for Adam Larsson. He also signed numerous questionable contracts including those for Milan Lucic, Kris Russell, and Mikko Koskinen. This has left the Oilers up against the salary cap, with little depth on the team.
The biggest task for Holland is Edmonton is adding wingers to play with their strong centre group of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. This lack of depth was a major reason the Oilers were unable to reach the playoffs the last two years. Edmonton has only made the playoffs once in the last 11 years. The Oilers currently hold the 10th pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.
Besides getting help for McDavid another big issue for the Oilers has been their goaltending. Mikko Koskinen emerged as the starter for Edmonton starting 51 of the 81 games this season, though he showed better results early in the year and faltered down the stretch. Anthony Stolarz is currently the back-up for the Oilers. He is set to become a free agent. Holland will need to fill the void and, at the very least, sign a solid back-up goaltender.
Main Photo:
PITTSBURGH, PA – JUNE 23: Detroit Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland (L) and Detroit Red Wings Senior Vice President Jim Devellano speak during day two of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft at Consol Energy Center on June 23, 2012, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
