Oilers hire Stan Bowman as GM
The Edmonton Oilers named Stan Bowman as their new general manager Wednesday, the team announced.
Bowman was reinstated by the NHL on July 1 after previously being banned for his role in the Chicago Blackhawks' 2010 sexual assault scandal.
He oversaw three Stanley Cups during his time with the Blackhawks in 2010, 2013, and 2015. Bowman resigned in 2021 after an investigation into the sexual assault scandal.
The investigation revealed that Bowman and other members of Chicago's management group were informed that Brad Aldrich, the team's video coach at the time, had at minimum allegedly sexually harassed a player on the team in May 2010, but the organization didn't promptly address the incident.
Nobody from the Blackhawks' management group acted until June 14, several days after Chicago won the Stanley Cup when former team president and CEO John McDonough reported the information to the director of human resources.
The player who was sexually assaulted was later revealed to be Kyle Beach, a 20-year-old prospect who was serving as a "Black Ace" for Chicago's 2010 playoff run.
"I do think it's important to start off by touching on my departure from the Blackhawks a couple seasons ago. I can tell you in this room, and everyone watching, as well as something I've said directly to Kyle Beach, my response was inadequate back in 2010," Bowman said Wednesday during his introductory press conference.
"I didn't handle things properly. I should've done more. That's something I regret, and that's something I've had a chance to reflect on and try to learn from."
Bowman added that he's built a positive relationship with Beach over the last year or so. He called Beach on Tuesday night to inform him he was being hired by the Oilers. Bowman said he considered it "a very encouraging conversation."
The Oilers and previous GM Ken Holland agreed not to renew his contract at the conclusion of the 2024 playoffs. Edmonton's CEO of hockey operations Jeff Jackson had been serving as acting GM in the meantime.
Jackson said he spoke to Beach, who told Jackson he was supportive of Bowman's reinstatement.
Jackson was also asked about the potential backlash of hiring Bowman.
"I'm not worried about it," Jackson said. "My job is to try to make an elite organization and have people that are collaborative, progressive, and good people, and I think Stan is all of those things."
Bowman is the son of legendary NHL coach Scotty Bowman. Stan was originally hired by the Blackhawks in 2005, working as director of hockey operations for two seasons and assistant GM for another two campaigns before he was named GM in 2009.