Ken Holland, the 68-year-old GM of the Edmonton Oilers, has been silent about his future with the team since the season began. The Oilers might be looking to move in a new direction as Holland’s five-year, $25 million contract ends on June 30. There are no signs from owner Daryl Katz or CEO Jeff Jackson that they want to retain the Hall of Fame manager, with no extension offered when Jackson joined last summer.
An anonymous NHL executive suggested that Holland still has the passion, but the organization may want to shift gears. Holland has not addressed his future since the start of the season and has stayed out of the spotlight during the playoffs to avoid distractions. He joined the Oilers in 2019, after Keith Gretzky temporarily took over following Peter Chiarelli’s firing.
There is speculation that Holland might seek other opportunities or that the team might rethink his role after getting close to success in recent years. If a new, younger GM is brought in, negotiations with player agents and contract extensions will likely be handled by Jackson, who previously negotiated Connor McDavid’s eight-year, $100 million deal.
As Holland’s tenure possibly ends, there are also questions about the future of several Oilers players with expiring contracts. The team has $10 million in cap space for the next season. Key unrestricted free agents include:
-Adam Henrique: Acquired from Anaheim, played as a third-line center.
– Warren Foegele: Came from Carolina, had a strong season and might seek a raise.
– Vincent Desharnais: Key defensive player, could seek a higher salary.
– Connor Brown: Strong playoff performance, but cap constraints might prevent re-signing.
– Sam Carrick: Provided toughness and face-off skills in the postseason.
– Mattias Janmark: Valuable in the playoffs, may re-sign for a similar contract.
– Calvin Pickard: Solid backup goalie, likely to seek a raise.
– Corey Perry: Veteran player, future uncertain.
– Troy Stecher: Depth defenseman, underwent surgery during playoffs.
The Oilers will need to make significant decisions about retaining or replacing these players as they prepare for the upcoming season.
