Former Oilers and Red Wings general manager Ken Holland is the Islanders’ top choice to fill their GM vacancy, Arthur Staple of The Athletic reports.
Holland hasn’t worked with a team since his contract with Edmonton as their GM and president of hockey operations wasn’t renewed following their run to the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. He’s still been working with the league as a hockey operations consultant, though, so he hasn’t been out of work entirely.
The belief was that the four-time Stanley Cup-winning GM likely wouldn’t resurface in an everyday role – he will turn 70 in November. It’s still unclear whether he is interested in stepping back into the GM’s chair and if he’d entertain a role with the Islanders, but the job will likely be his if he wants it. They’re on the hunt for a GM and a POHO, as another elder statesman of managerial roles, Lou Lamoriello, was let go last month. They’d likely prefer Holland fills both of those roles.
Holland is far from the first candidate linked to the Isles’ vacancy in the past few weeks. The first was Devils assistant GM Kate Madigan, whom Andrew Gross of Newsday reported would at least get an initial interview. There hasn’t been much reporting on her in connection with the vacancy since.
Staple adds that the Islanders contacted the Canadiens requesting permission to speak to executive VP of hockey ops Jeff Gorton, although it’s unlikely it was granted. Kings senior advisor, Marc Bergevin, is the frontrunner to succeed Rob Blake in their GM role, but is “in the mix” for a role on Long Island as well, per Staple. Some other speculative targets in former Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekäläinen and Blues VP of hockey ops Peter Chiarelli don’t seem to have much of a chance.
Image courtesy of Gerry Angus-USA TODAY Sports.
Good luck! Without Jimmy Devellano, Holland was nothing. His success in Detroit was unlimited money, pre-salary cap. His drafting sucks. His trades suck. Hire someone else.
Hyman, Ekholm, Nunget-Hopkins were pretty good for EDM. Jack Campbell is the big miss there
That sounds right.
Can’t we hire a GM that isn’t on Medicare, and collecting Social Security? We just got rid of a GM ready for the old GM’s home. We don’t need another. Someone under 55 years old would be nice.
I was about to say on the job application there must be a question whether you received your AARP card at least 20 years ago and if you check no you’re off the list.
Most of my fellow Sabres fans would pay to see Kevyn Adams hired away.
More Kings bad news
Dammit
Yeah, while Holland won a Cup during the salary cap era, it was already with a team he built to win, and he has had trouble managing the salary cap since. He couldn’t get the Oilers over the hump even with 2 franchise-type players either, and couldn’t figure out their goaltending issues. And he was horrible in the draft. While Holland is a big name, I think the Isles signing him to become their GM is a mistake, although he’d prob be a good FO hire with his experience to help a new GM for sure!
The Isles already have a great base, with the Varlamov/Sorokin tandem (although Sorokin hasn’t been great these last couple of seasons), and the duo of Dobson-Romanov, and some good forwards in Horvat and Barzal, but they need more on offence. I think at this point, Barzal is who he is, so they’ll need to add a top player the lineup to find more success.
So while it’s not a rebuild, the next GM needs to be someone who can help elevate not just the lineup, but their drafting as well, and Holland hasn’t found as much success in doing that during the salary cP era.
Are they trying to return to the Milbury era???
Just go ahead and whip out the fish stick jerseys.
his last notable achievement.. wasting five mcdavid years
they should consider glen sather
Neil Smith on line 2