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Oilers Hire Stan Bowman As General Manager

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The Oilers have named Stan Bowman their general manager and EVP of hockey operations, the team announced Wednesday. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report.

Bowman, 51, has not worked in the league since resigning as GM and president of hockey operations of the Blackhawks in October 2021. His resignation came following an independent report detailing his “inadequate response upon being informed in 2010 of allegations that Blackhawks’ Player, Kyle Beach, had been assaulted by the Club’s video coach.” The league then moved to make Bowman, as well as former Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville and senior VP of hockey operations Al MacIsaac, ineligible to work for any NHL team.

Earlier this month, the league announced that all three had been reinstated and would be available to hire as early as July 10. The NHL supplemented the news with this statement:

While it is clear that, at the time, their responses were unacceptable, each of these three individuals (Messrs. Bowman, MacIsaac and Quenneville) has acknowledged that and used his time away from the game to engage in activities which, not only demonstrate sincere remorse for what happened, but also evidence greater awareness of the responsibilities that all NHL personnel have, particularly personnel who are in positions of leadership. Moreover, each has made significant strides in personal improvement by participating in myriad programs, many of which focused on the imperative of responding in effective and meaningful ways to address alleged acts of abuse. The League expects that they will continue this commitment in any future capacity with the NHL and/or one of our Clubs.

Upon the news of their reinstatement emerging, Bowman was immediately viewed as the top contender for Edmonton’s GM vacancy, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reported at the time.

The Oilers were without a GM after opting not to renew Ken Holland’s contract after five years at the helm. Jeff Jackson, who had served above Holland last season as the team’s CEO of hockey operations, took over as acting GM at the draft and during the beginning of free agency. In his weeks-long tenure in the position, Jackson was quite active, notably acquiring Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner on the UFA market and acquiring the organization’s new top prospect, 2022 ninth-overall pick Matthew Savoie, in a trade with the Sabres.

Jackson now hands the keys to Bowman, whose first year as GM in Chicago coincided with their 2010 Stanley Cup championship. He remained at the helm for their Cup wins in 2013 and 2015, all in all spending parts of 12 seasons in the role. Before being promoted to GM, Bowman served as the Blackhawks’ director of hockey operations from 2005 to 2007 and as assistant GM from 2007 to 2009.

In regards to Bowman’s hiring, Jackson issued the following statement:

I believe his vast experience and proven success in this role, together with the important work he has done in his time away from the game, fits our goal of being best in class when it comes to all facets of our organization. Through our many conversations, we share a common vision of where we are as a team and what is required to achieve another Stanley Cup title.

While Bowman did well to maintain the core built by previous GM Dale Tallon and oversee the greatest sustained period of success in franchise history, he also oversaw its downfall. The Blackhawks still haven’t advanced past the first round since winning it all in 2015 and have made the playoffs only thrice. In the final three seasons of Bowman’s tenure, the Blackhawks’ best point total was 84.

Now, much like he did in Chicago, Bowman inherits a superstar core of Evan Bouchard, Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid. He’s got less time on the clock to win, though. Draisaitl and McDavid are 28 and 27, respectively, while Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews were both in their age-21 seasons when he took over.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Does Brian Lawton Make Sense As A Potential GM Candidate?

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  • As the Oilers continue their GM search, David Staples of the Edmonton Journal proposes Brian Lawton as a possible dark horse candidate for the position. Lawton hasn’t worked in the NHL since 2009-10 when he was the GM of Tampa Bay but he also has several years of experience as an agent.  Both perspectives certainly could be appealing to CEO Jeff Jackson, a former agent himself, who is currently serving as Edmonton’s interim GM.  Jackson noted earlier this week that he’d like to have a new GM in place within the next couple of weeks.

Jackson Hoping To Have GM In Place Within Next Couple Of Weeks

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  • In an appearance on the Bob McCown Podcast (video link), Oilers CEO of Hockey Operations and interim GM Jeff Jackson reiterated that he has no desire to take on the full-time GM role. He added that there have been several interviews for the position and while he didn’t want to put a firm timeline on a new hire, he’s hoping to have one announced in the next seven to ten days.  Jackson is in the interim role following the departure of Ken Holland when his contract expired late last month.

Oilers, Senators Swap Xavier Bourgault, Roby Jarventie

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The Senators have already completed one transaction today, signing goaltender Mads Søgaard to a two-year deal, and they’ve now completed a second. They’ve sent left winger Roby Jarventie and their 2025 fourth-round pick to the Oilers in exchange for forward prospects Xavier Bourgault and Jake Chiasson, per announcements from both teams.

“This trade provides us with additional competition and depth at forward,” Senators general manager Steve Staios said in a press release. “Both Xavier and Jake are trending in the right direction with their respective development. With the potential for greater playing opportunity next season, they should both benefit considerably.”

Bourgault, 21, is the big fish in this trade. He was the Oilers’ first-round pick in 2021, taken 22nd overall, a pick acquired from the Wild in a pick swap on draft day that resulted in Minnesota selecting top goaltending prospect Jesper Wallstedt at 20. Unfortunately, Bourgault hasn’t progressed as hoped and is yet to make his NHL debut.

After wrapping up his junior career with the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes, Bourgault signed his entry-level contract in March 2022 and turned pro the subsequent season. He did okay in his first season on assignment to AHL Bakersfield, finishing 2022-23 with a solid 13 goals, 21 assists and 34 points in 62 games and finishing fourth on the team in scoring. But this past season was unkind to the Quebec native, whose offense was limited to only eight goals and 20 points in 55 games with Bakersfield. He was also held without a point in two playoff games.

Edmonton recently rejuvenated their forward prospect pool in a big way, acquiring 2022 ninth-overall pick Matthew Savoie in a trade with the Sabres earlier this month. That made Bourgault somewhat expendable for a team in the middle of a championship contention window, especially one with their forward corps set for the immediate future.

But with Ottawa, Bourgault should have a much clearer path to his NHL debut. He can play center and right-wing, both of which are positions of need for the Sens – at least in depth roles. He joins a group that includes veterans Noah Gregor and Zack MacEwen as well as up-and-comers Jan Jeník and Zack Ostapchuk that will be competing for roster spots out of camp.

The Sens also added Chiasson in this deal, but he’s far off from seeing NHL ice. The 21-year-old was selected three rounds after Bourgault in 2021 but stayed in juniors for his overage season, meaning he didn’t turn pro until last year. After signing his ELC with Edmonton, Chiasson played just one game with AHL Bakersfield and was instead sent to ECHL Fort Wayne for most of the campaign, where he had nine goals and 20 points in 68 games with a -12 rating.

In exchange for parting ways with a pair of prospects, the Oilers recoup Jarventie, a player that the team’s Bob Stauffer reports they’ve liked for quite some time. Selected 33rd overall by Ottawa in 2020, the 6’2″, 214-lb Finnish winger made his NHL debut last season, recording an assist and a -5 rating in seven games while averaging a paltry 7:31 per night. The 21-year-old has one season remaining on his entry-level contract, which will presumably be spent with Bakersfield.

While he doesn’t have Bourgault’s billing as a first-round pick, Jarventie does have a much better recent track record in the minors. Injuries and roster moves limited him to 22 games with AHL Belleville last season, but he clicked at nearly a point per game with nine goals and 11 assists in 22 contests. He has 86 points (38 goals, 48 assists) in 136 career games with Belleville since arriving in North America in 2021.

Evening Notes: Ceci, Hrkac, Kovalenko

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The Edmonton Oilers will have a market of teams interested in defenseman Cody Ceci, should they want to trade him away, per Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff on Bob Stauffer’s Oilers Now podcast. Seravalli added, “Right (shot) defensemen in that pay range are always in demand. Just go look at the pay range this summer and look at some of the money thrown around. Cody Ceci at that number is probably quite palatable.”

Ceci carries a $3.25MM cap hit through next season, before entering unrestricted free agency next summer, making him a manageable rental on a new team. But it’s hard to imagine Edmonton, who still carries $6.2MM in cap space, will be quick to move Ceci unless they need urgent relief. The 30-year-old defender held firm to his quant role in the middle of Edmonton’s lineup this year, posting five goals and 25 points through 79 regular season games. It was the second-most he’s scored int he last five seasons, though three points shy of his career-high. Nonetheless, Ceci provided the hard, two-line passing and general defensive stoutness to properly back Edmonton’s top lines, even if his performances with the Oilers have been far from exciting. On the open market, Ceci offers the presence of an 11-year vet with 88 career playoff games – just enough to warrant a cheap return.

Other notes from around the league:

  • The Anaheim Ducks have hired former NHL forward Tony Hrkac as their Director of Professional Scouting, shares Derek Lee of The Hockey News. Hrkac has served as a pro scout with the Tampa Bay Lightning since the 2015-16 season, after serving in a variety of coaching roles in Wisconsin. He’ll now take the next step in his managerial career at an apt time, joining the team amid a Mighty Ducks rebrand having played in 140 games as a Mighty Duck during his own career.
  • Dynamic Colorado Avalanche prospect Nikolai Kovalenko has returned to the United States for training after a brief vacation, shares Evan Rawal of Colorado Hockey Now. That news should set Kovalenko up for a full run at the NHL lineup next season, after scoring three points in four AHL games and appearing in two Stanley Cup Playoff games at the end of the season. The 24-year-old became a highly acclaimed prospect with 54 points in 56 games during the 2022-23 KHL season – a performance he followed with 35 points in 42 games. He’ll now look to bring his dynamic scoring ability to the NHL, where fans should get a much clearer picture of his long-term upside.

Oilers Re-Sign Raphael Lavoie To Two-Way Deal

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12:36 PM: Lavoie will earn a salary of $225K while on assignment to Bakersfield next season, Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal reports. That’s a significant raise from the $70K AHL salary he earned last year after signing his qualifying offer.

10:21 AM: The Oilers announced that RFA center Raphael Lavoie is back with the team next season on a one-year, two-way contract worth $775K. His AHL salary wasn’t disclosed.

Lavoie made his NHL debut last season, appearing in seven games for Edmonton and posting a -2 rating with four shots on goal while averaging 7:17 per game. It was an important step for Lavoie, who’s been in the Oilers’ system since being drafted in the second round in 2019. Some expected him to make the opening night roster last fall to avoid hitting waivers for the first time in his career, but he passed through unclaimed in October en route to spending most of the season on assignment to AHL Bakersfield.

That’s where the 23-year-old has spent nearly all of his time since turning pro in 2020. The 6’4″, 216-lb forward has some appealing minor league numbers, and he’s coming off a career-high 28 goals and 50 points in 66 games with Bakersfield last year. He’s got some snarl to his game and likely still has NHL upside – it just hasn’t come fast enough for Edmonton to make him a regular before his waiver exemption expired.

The Quebec native, who plays both center and right wing, faces a crowded Oilers forward group next season with 12 players already signed to one-way deals. That doesn’t include RFA Dylan Holloway, who’s a virtual lock to make the team. But after their free agent spending spree, they sit $350K over the cap, per CapFriendly, and will likely move out a contract to accommodate a new deal for Holloway. That could open up room for Lavoie to make the NHL roster, something the Oilers would likely prefer due to his league minimum cap hit.

Lavoie was eligible for salary arbitration this summer but didn’t elect for it last Friday, signaling an agreement was likely close.

Agent For Leon Draisaitl: Ball Is In Oilers’ Court For Extension Talks

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With the bulk of the heavy lifting already done in the 2024 class of unrestricted free agents, many have started looking ahead to a 2025 group that is currently star-studded.  Among the headliners is Oilers center Leon Draisaitl who, despite making $8.5MM per season, has been one of the better bargains in the NHL in recent years.  That should soon change as the 28-year-old will undoubtedly become one of the NHL’s highest-paid players on his next contract.

How soon that next deal comes is still under question.  Edmonton is currently without a GM following the departure of Ken Holland with team president Jeff Jackson serving in the interim role; Jackson has previously indicated that he doesn’t want to take on the full-time managerial position.  To that end, the search for a full-time replacement for Holland is ongoing and it makes sense for that hire to be in place before any substantive discussions get underway.

However, it appears that Draisaitl’s European-based agent feels there’s a deadline to get this done.  Speaking with Eishockey News’ Michael Bauer, Jiri Poner indicated that the end of the summer might be the deadline to get a deal in place:

There’s no rush yet, but either it happens quickly, i.e. by the end of August, or it doesn’t work out at all. It will also become clear whether Edmonton really wants him or not. Leon holds all the trump cards.

Technically, Edmonton can negotiate with Draisaitl right up to free agency next July so this stance from Poner suggests that Draisaitl’s preference might be to set a hard line of not negotiating during the season.  If that’s the case, whoever takes over as GM won’t have much time to work out an agreement to keep him in the fold.

Draisaitl has passed the 100-point mark in five of the last six seasons and over that stretch, he has the second-most points in the NHL.  His teammate, Connor McDavid, is the only one ahead of him.  With McDavid’s current contract coming back in 2017, his $12.5MM AAV doesn’t stand as a great comparable.  However, the recent $13.25MM AAV that Auston Matthews received from Toronto last year could very well be in play, especially if he makes it to the open market next summer.

Can Edmonton afford to pay Draisaitl market value for 2025-26 knowing that McDavid’s deal will be up a year later and cost considerably more?  That’s a question the new GM will have to answer relatively quickly given Poner’s comments regarding a possible deadline for talks.  Having said that, Poner did add that he’s very confident that the two sides will be able to hammer out a deal to keep Draisaitl in an Oilers uniform for years to come.

Sabres Acquire Ryan McLeod, Trade Matt Savoie To Oilers

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3:33 PM: The Sabres organization have confirmed the trade with Edmonton.

3:08 PM: According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Edmonton Oilers and Buffalo Sabres are working on a trade that would send Ryan McLeod to the American Northeast. In a follow-up report, Friedman suggests the Oilers will receive forward prospect Matt Savoie from the Sabres and will additionally send Tyler Tullio to Buffalo.

The Sabres were intent on improving their middle six and bottom six this summer and will acquire McLeod as he enters the last year of a two-year, $4.2MM contract. Featuring breakneck speed and a high motor in the offensive zone, it will be difficult to find a better player than McLeod to plug into the Sabres bottom-six. During the past three years in south-central Alberta, McLeod has suited up in 209 games for the Oilers, scoring 32 goals and 74 points while averaging 13:43 of ice time per night.

Outside of the topical statistics, McLeod is an analytical dream. He has averaged a 52.7% CorsiFor% throughout his career which will give the Sabres a boost in the possession game after finishing the 2023-24 season with a 51.2% team average in the category. According to HockeyReference, McLeod has an E +/- of 20.3 throughout his career showing that he limits his opponent’s ability to score when he is on the ice. The Sabres improved considerably in this department last season, and McLeod will help continue that effort and be an effective penalty killer.

Tullio is also heading to the Sabres organization and will likely start the year with the team’s AHL affiliate Rochester Americans. The Oilers selected Tullio with the 126th overall selection of the 2020 NHL Draft and he has spent the last two years playing for the Bakersfield Condors. Tullio has scored 22 goals and 47 points over 117 games in AHL Bakersfield and should slot into a bottom-six role with the Americans.

Edmonton will not come away unhappy from this deal as they’ve acquired quite a prospect in Savoie. The young center is two years removed from being the ninth overall pick of the 2022 NHL Draft and recently finished his playing days in the Western Hockey League. Savoie split the 2023-24 WHL season between the Wenatchee Wild and Moose Jaw Warriors in a season where he scored 30 goals and 71 points in only 34 games. Continuing to prove his offensive prowess in the playoffs, Savoie scored 10 goals and 24 points in 19 postseason contests for the Warriors as he led his team to the Memorial Cup semifinals.

Savoie eventually made his professional debut last season in AHL Rochester where he scored two goals and five points in six contests. One could reasonably assume that Savoie will start the 2024-25 NHL season with the Condors but could be a sneaky option to be called up and placed next to Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl. Whatever his pathway is, the Oilers bring in a cost-effective option who can immediately play in the team’s top six.

Oilers, Evan Bouchard Unlikely To Talk Extension This Summer

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The Oilers aren’t likely to hold extension discussions with star defenseman Evan Bouchard this offseason, sources tell The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman. Bouchard is set to be an RFA with arbitration rights next summer as he’s entering the back half of a two-year, $7.8MM bridge deal.

Last season, Bouchard’s $3.9MM cap hit was arguably the most value-laden deal in the league, not including entry-level contracts. Bouchard came in fifth in Norris Trophy voting after posting 18 goals, 64 assists, 82 points and a +34 rating – all career-highs – in 81 games. The right-shot blue liner proceeded to have a record-breaking postseason, setting a new single-playoff high in assists (26) to beat out former Oilers defenseman and current assistant coach Paul Coffey’s record, set in 1985. His +14 rating also led all skaters in the postseason as Edmonton advanced to its first Stanley Cup Final since 2006.

There’s little to dislike about Bouchard’s game as he fully hits his stride entering his age-25 season, even if he is prone to the occasional extremely visible one-on-one defensive lapse. His possession numbers, while already strong, flourished last year with a full season of Mattias Ekholm as his partner. The duo was arguably the best pairing in the league, controlling a mind-blowing 62.8% of expected goals through nearly 1,200 minutes together, per MoneyPuck.

Bouchard hasn’t had any significant health issues since reaching the NHL full-time, either. He’s only missed two games over the past three seasons.

With all that in mind, Bouchard projects to be the best defender to hit RFA status next summer, leading a group that includes Noah Dobson, Brock Faber and Luke Hughes, who should all get paid handsomely. It’s hard to imagine Bouchard landing anything other than a max-term eight-year deal, something the Oilers would surely find desirable with him being two years away from UFA eligibility when his current deal expires. Evolving-Hockey projects a $9.5MM cap hit on such an extension, a higher AAV than the long-term deal Cale Makar signed three years ago but a lower percentage of the salary cap. But if he builds on last season’s performance, Edmonton runs the risk of needing to shell out more cash to keep him around long-term by not getting an extension done now.

While a new GM will be handling Bouchard’s negotiations after Ken Holland’s contract wasn’t renewed, the Oilers have issued eight-year deals to almost all of their core players in the Connor McDavid era. McDavid himself, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Darnell Nurse are all currently on max-term deals.

After an extremely active July 1 that saw the Oilers bring in Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner while retaining UFAs Connor Brown, Adam Henrique and Mattias Janmark, the major legwork is over for acting GM Jeff Jackson. His main responsibility is now finding Holland’s successor, an item that could be checked off next week. Reports earlier this week indicated they have interest in former Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman, who the NHL deemed eligible to work in the league earlier this week after being barred for over two years “as a result of [his] inadequate response upon being informed in 2010 of allegations that Blackhawks’ Player, Kyle Beach, had been assaulted by the Club’s video coach.” That announcement could come as early as next Wednesday.

Minor Free Agent Signings: Pacific Division

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With over 180 deals signed during the first day of free agency yesterday, some smaller names may have gotten lost in the shuffle. Here’s a list of names that have inked two-way deals with Pacific Division clubs since the market opened yesterday, per CapFriendly. Some of these may have been included in our main coverage yesterday, while others went under the radar. All contracts carry the league-minimum $775K cap hit unless stated otherwise). Those listed here are likely to begin 2024-25 with each team’s AHL affiliate.

Anaheim Ducks

none

Calgary Flames

G Devin Cooley (two years)
F Martin Frk (one year)

Edmonton Oilers

D Connor Carrick (one year)
G Collin Delia (one year)
F James Hamblin (two years)
D Noel Hoefenmayer (one year)
F Noah Philp (one year)

Los Angeles Kings

F Glenn Gawdin (two years)
F Tyler Madden (one year)
F Jack Studnicka (one year)
D Reilly Walsh (one year)

San Jose Sharks

D Lucas Carlsson (two years, $800K cap hit)
D Jimmy Schuldt (one year)

Seattle Kraken

F Brandon Biro (one year)
D Nikolas Brouillard (one year)
D Maxime Lajoie (one year)
F Mitchell Stephens (two years)

Vancouver Canucks

G Jiří Patera (one year)
F Nathan Smith (one year)

Vegas Golden Knights

F Zach Aston-Reese (one year)

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