Oilers hire Stan Bowman as GM & EVP of Hockey Ops

[rynryn]

Just when I was coming around on the Oilers. f*** the NHL.

 

[DistantThunderRep]

Still, if you have the choice, why would you even, EVER, consider doing this? Oilers taking all the blame on this one and the fans are the ones who suffer. Wtf.

Don't disagree. It's just time and time again we see the owners just can't help themselves. At some point, the NHL has to be the parent in the situation.

 

[ToDavid]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1816119204967260579

The recommendation letter thing appears to be a misconception. My understanding is that it's been conflated from the internal review letters that were written. There was also at one point an allegation in a lawsuit from one of the students he later abused saying that the Blackhawks provided a positive reference, but I believe that was later amended to only allege that they verified his employment.

HOWEVER, I think the sentiment is correct anyway. Even without a recommendation letter, simply letting him walk away quietly obviously amounts to an implicit reference. Worse than quietly, someone submitted his name to be engraved on the cup and I don't think why or how that happened has been adequately answered. What better reference could you ask for? Stan Bowman and the Blackhawks' actions directly resulted in him having access to minor victims.

 

[Draiskull]

Cant wait til Bowman signs Michael McLeod

 

[Dan403]

While this is a scummy move from the Oilers. It's even more scummy from the NHL for ever letting Stan Bowman back in the league.

The League made a terrible choice. But no one HAD to hire him. He could have rotted in ignominy.

Then Edmonhole steps up...

 

[sxvnert]

Congratulations to the Calgary Flames for winning the hearts and minds of every neutral fan in the Battle of Alberta.

People will stop giving a **** the second the media stops talking about it.

 

[The Nuge]

I’m absolutely disgusted. He never should have been given another chance

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

Risky business

 

[Kaniac]

Oilers fan since early 80s. I cannot stomach this. Horrible hire both from a managerial and ethical point of view. It’s like taking a shotgun and blowing off your own foot. This is just the worst decision by Katz and Jackson at a critical time.

More like Shotgun to the dick

 

[Zirakzigil]

I think you give management too much credit. They're not that bright. Exhibit 1 million would be this hire.

Youd be wrong. Superstar players are the biggest asset for sports teams. Both of Edmontons superstars are coming up for new contracts. The Oilers know exactly where they stand on this hiring. McDavid was okay with it, otherwise it wouldnt happen. The Oilers wouldnt be picking Bowman over McDavid.

I have never seen HFBoards so united before.

Wrong. We are also united against your OF

 

[cheesymc]

Not sure why Oilers felt the need to add someone of his character and past. Now it's going to be easy to root against them and hope it falls apart with Leon/McDavid eventually leaving.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Congratulations to the Calgary Flames for winning the hearts and minds of every neutral fan in the Battle of Alberta.

Naw, neutral fans probably just jumped ship to Vancouver. That's what they did when the Oilers and Flames both sucked in the early 90s, ha ha ha. Having Pavel Bure helped with that of course.

 

[barkovcanfinnish]

Enjoy Bowman turning your top players into third round picks Oilers fans

Oh and the stench of a cover up

 

[ChaoticOrange]

At the same time, hats off to Oilers fans like you (who actually seem to be huge majority in this case), who dont try to defend this just because they want to defend their team, but say what it is.

It's not like he was even a phenomenal GM.

His track record in trades is abysmal, his drafting is mediocre, and he handed out some truly horrific contracts.

Everything important and worthwhile on the Hawks was acquired by someone else.

The abuser enabling is the shit-cherry on top of the shit-sundae

 

[Szechwan]

Not that I have any faith in the Edmonton media questioning anything, but you gotta wonder how thrilled Connor is if he gets asked about this constantly

 

[ChaoticOrange]

I have never seen HFBoards so united before.

Everyone else: god the Oilers are f***ing idiots

Oilers fans: yep the Oilers are f***ing idiots

 

[GOilers88]

Everyone else: god the Oilers are f***ing idiots

Oilers fans: yep the Oilers are f***ing idiots

Death.
Taxes.
Oilers Oilering.

 

[Voight]

Ah yes, the guy who fell into first and second overall picks, then ruined the core whilst giving a sexual predator a positive review so he could go sexually abuse more minors. That's exactly the type of person you go and hire as the GM.

That actually never happened.

After leaving his employment with the Blackhawks, Aldrich went on to work and volunteer at USA Hockey, the University of Notre Dame, Miami University of Ohio, and Houghton High School. None of the witnesses we interviewed recalled anyone at the Blackhawks providing a written or verbal reference for Aldrich to his future employers. When interviewed, Aldrich stated that he did not list any Blackhawks employees as references on job applications, nor did he ask anyone from the Blackhawks to vouch for him or make any calls on his behalf. USA Hockey reported to us that they identified no records reflecting a reference provided for Aldrich by the Blackhawks. We gathered records from Miami University regarding Aldrich’s employment and found no evidence of references, whether written or oral, provided by the Blackhawks. Miami University published an investigative report on September 24, 2021, which stated that Aldrich did not provide references on his resume when he applied to Miami, that the then-head coach of Miami University’s hockey team received Aldrich’s name from the coach’s collegiate hockey connections, and that the head coach and others spoke to the University of Notre Dame about Aldrich and received favorable information. The Miami investigative report does not describe any references provided by the Blackhawks. The University of Notre Dame declined to share information or records with us, other than to confirm Aldrich’s dates of employment at the university.

Houghton High School reported to us that they identified no records reflecting a reference provided for Aldrich by the Blackhawks. The head hockey coach at Houghton High School told us that Aldrich did not formally apply for volunteer hockey coaching positions in 2010 and 2012. The head coach explained that Aldrich’s uncle, who was the assistant coach in 2010, had told the head coach that Aldrich was not working and asked if the team could help Aldrich. In 2012, the team re-hired Aldrich as a volunteer based on his work as a volunteer in 2010. The head coach said that he did not contact the Blackhawks about Aldrich at any time.

 

[ManofSteel55]

scumbag hire from a garbage organization

I wish I could argue with you on this.

Waiting on contract offers for Carter Hart and Dillon Dube...

 

[Voight]

Odd choice as I thought the interim was being praised for his moves?

Will be interesting to see if they get Bowman who had pretty good first few drafts, etc or the guy who would repeatedly trade away young talent for inexplicable reasons and drafted poorly in 2nd half of his tenure

I also expected it would be Q that would get 2nd chance not Bowman. At least with Q your hiring one of the greatest coaches in NHL history

By the time he was cleared I believe the only opening was Columbus, and after the Babcock fiasco, they definitely didn't want another PR headache.

 

[robertmac43]

Terrible look for the Oilers. More reason to hope these guys never succeed.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Not that I have any faith in the Edmonton media questioning anything, but you gotta wonder how thrilled Connor is if he gets asked about this constantly

He will be asked about it, and he will have some canned message from the PR folks to deliver about it.

 

[LemonSauceD]

This is typical Oilers stuff. How many morally corrupt people do they need on their team? And how many more have they attempted to bring in the past?

Gross. No one should cheer for that puke of a team.

 

[rynryn]

Not that I have any faith in the Edmonton media questioning anything, but you gotta wonder how thrilled Connor is if he gets asked about this constantly

Had the exact same thought. How many times is he going to have to say "our focus is on the ice and we have to shut everything else out"

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Truly mind boggling. You could say maybe he could get a 2nd chance by working his way up the ranks in smaller role and in a less scrutizined market/team.

But a premier team/organization with heavy media scrutiny who were one game away from the cup, it just makes no sense to go out of the way and hand him the keys to the ship. None...

They were on the right path and made some good moves....and now they just unleashesd a nuke of bad PR and aura around them. Just get the feeling this could really blow up in their face and derail what they've done.