{"id":45479,"date":"2019-04-15T21:12:53","date_gmt":"2019-04-16T01:12:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=45479"},"modified":"2019-04-15T21:19:21","modified_gmt":"2019-04-16T01:19:21","slug":"edmonton-oilers-general-manager-potential-candidates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2019\/04\/15\/edmonton-oilers-general-manager-potential-candidates\/","title":{"rendered":"Edmonton Oilers General Manager Potential Candidates"},"content":{"rendered":"

After missing the playoffs 12 times in the past 13 seasons, one of the first priorities for the Edmonton Oilers<\/a> this off-season is to find a new general manager. <\/span><\/p>\n

The \u00a0Oilers fired Peter Chiarelli<\/strong> in late-January and had Keith Gretzky<\/strong> act\u00a0as the interim GM for the remainder of the season.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the Oilers\u2019 season-ending news conference<\/a>, CEO Bob Nicholson<\/strong> said:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>We have to give the fans a plan and we have to make sure the fans understand the plan. It starts right away, as soon as the general manager is in place. We have to make sure we\u2019re getting that out in front of everyone<\/span><\/i>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He went on further to say,<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>I\u2019d like to hire the general manager tomorrow, but that\u2019s not going to happen. As I\u2019ve said before, I\u2019m not going to rush the process. We\u2019re going to do a deep dive . . . I\u2019d like to have the person as soon as possible, but I\u2019m not sure how long that\u2019s going to take.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Potential Oilers General Manager Candidates<\/h1>\n

At this point, we are not entirely sure who is at the top of the candidate list. <\/span><\/p>\n

It is more speculation than anything, but here are some names who may be considered in the running to become the Edmonton Oilers\u2019 next GM.<\/span><\/p>\n

Keith Gretzky an Internal GM Candidate<\/h2>\n

Keith Gretzky is an obvious place to start, he acted as the Oilers\u2019 interim general manager after Peter Chiarelli was let go and received\u00a0good reviews.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gretzky stated that he is interested<\/a> in running for the position. <\/span><\/p>\n

He went on to say that\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>I have the knowledge of being around for three years*. I know what\u2019s in our system. I know what we have coming up.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

(*joined the\u00a0Oilers as an a<\/span>ssistant\u00a0GM in 2016)<\/span><\/p>\n