Ken Holland is the new GM of the Edmonton Oilers. The team’s owner, Daryl Katz, made the official announcement at Rogers Place on Tuesday morning.
Holland was the GM of the Detroit Red Wings for 22 years, before being promoted to senior vice president of the team at the end of the 2018-19 season.
“We didn’t hired Ken because of what he has done in the past, we hired him because of what he can do right now and in the years ahead,” Katz told the media on Tuesday morning.
The search for a new GM started after the team fired Peter Chiarelli earlier this year. The team went on to miss the playoffs for the 12th year out of the last 13.
Katz addressed fan frustration publicly during the press conference.
“We have not delivered on the promise we made to our fans in recent years. You know it and I know it and we all know it.”
“Accountability falls on everyone in our organization for this, but it starts and it stops with me.’
Katz says Holland will have full autonomy to make decisions for the team, and will report to Bob Nicholson.
Holland has already made his first staffing announcement, that he would be replacing Ken Hitchcock as head coach.
“I’m hoping the stability I can provide will allow players to play,” Holland told the media.
He went on to say he thinks the team can make the playoffs by next season.
Holland says he has not talked to Keith Gretzky, who served as interim GM for the team, but says he hopes to keep him in the organization.
