A controversial candidate has been linked to the Edmonton Oilers as a frontrunner for the team’s GM vacancy.
As a busy first day of free agency unfolds across the league, the NHL quietly sent out a press release regarding the indefinite suspensions of ex-Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman and coach Joel Quenneville.
That pair has been barred from working in the NHL for the last two and half years after an investigation revealed their roles in covering up an alleged sexual assault incident involving former NHL player Kyle Beach.
The league has now lifted those suspensions and the pair is now eligible to work in the NHL once again. Following that update, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli pinned Bowman as a top candidate to become the Oilers’ next GM.
Bowman will become a top candidate for #Oilers GM vacancy. Believe he was on Edmonton’s radar when Jeff Jackson was hired last summer though still ineligible then. https://t.co/x369DKhs0p
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 1, 2024
In a statement, the league said the following about both Bowman, Quenneville, and ex-Blackhawks executive Al MacIsaac:
“While it is clear that, at the time, their responses were unacceptable, each of these three individuals (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.”
If the Oilers are thinking about hiring Bowman to become the team’s next GM, they will be inviting in plenty of criticism. Bowman is a very controversial figure in hockey and he has not made a lot of fans after it was revealed just how involved he was in the Kyle Beach assault scandal.
The investigation found that Bowman failed to properly report incidents of sexual assault committed by then-video coach Brad Alrich during the team’s 2010 run to the Stanley Cup.
The 51-year-old executive served as the GM of the Blackhawks starting in 2009 until he resigned from the position in 2021 after the investigation became public. Though he won three Stanley Cups during his time with the Blackhawks, his role in the sexual assault scandal is something that might loom larger over his name.
“Rocky and I appreciate Stan’s dedication to the Blackhawks and his many years of work for the team,” then-Blackhawks CEO Danny Wirtz said after Bowman resigned from the team. “However, we and he ultimately accept that, in his first year as general manager, he made a mistake, alongside our other senior executives at the time, and did not take adequate action.”
On top of this, his waning years with the Blackhawks were nothing special. In his final six seasons in the GM chair, Chicago failed to win a single playoff round, outside of a best-of-five qualifying round against the Oilers in 2021.
The Oilers are searching for somebody to become the team’s GM after it was announced last week that Ken Holland would not be returning after five seasons at the helm. Many have speculated about London Knights GM Mark Hunter for the position and Bowman is the latest person to be connected to the job.
Bowman will be eligible to be hired by an NHL team after July 10.