Confirmed with Link: Oilers hire Stan Bowman as GM & Executive VP- press conference at 10:30

[McBooya42]

I agree the bedard win and now Bowman being washed clean seems so fishy. Pretty sure Bowman knows about a lot of skeletons the league has in the closet.

Now you're just plain being ignorant and foolish.

 

[TheNumber4]

We'll since you're so well informed what is the work he put in? Let me guess "uh uh you go watch the interview read the letter it says ok?"

Why should anyone do your homework for you. You act like we are required to educate you, we aren’t.

 

[Pavel10]

why are you so hung up on the phrase "work he as put in"?

Because that apparently washes away everything. Bad things happened but "work was put in over 2 years".

Um ok and what was this work? We heard Bowman go off script get angry and say he doesn't want to live in the past about the teenage boy who was attacked. We heard Bowman say Kennedy had to force him to contact beach. Seems like forcing a little kid to do their homework.

 

[McBooya42]

So in addition to listening the the conference, reading Kennedy's letter and there still being zero clear explanation of "the work put in".

This has now shifted to ok now all you need to do is find a Kennedy interview. Tomorrow all I gotta do is volunteer my time with the respect organization.

I haven't heard a single Bowman defender explain the "work he has put in". The mental hoops the Bowman defenders are going though....

Dude, the only one jumping through willfully ignorant mental loops here is you...

 

[K1984]

You're one of a small handfuls defending this hiring. And net result you still won't say what the "work he put in" is. You view talking to Sheldon Kennedy as "work". So be it.

It isn't my job to help you if you literally can't read.

At no point have I defended the hire. Again, if you could read you would see that I have expressed this repeatedly.

 

[Salvaged Ship]

Bowman was informed of the Beach incident, his boss the POHO McDonagh said he would handle it. Mcdonagh waited 2 playoff series to not cause distraction on their cup run then reported it to HR. A bad hire happened under Bowman’s watch and bad handling of the situation as a part of the management group, but he didn’t rape anyone. Let’s keep this in perspective. Aldrich, the rapist, is the real monster here. Bowman doesn’t deserve a free pass though, which is why he was fired as both the Hawks GM and US Olympics hockey GM. How long after should he have to be punished is up for debate. But eventually people should be able to rehabilitate. Criminals who murder are given chances to rehab. Bowman didn’t commit a crime here. Has put in the work to understand victims like Beach through the Kennedy foundation, to better understand the impact someone like Aldrich can have on victims, to help victims, and to learn how to be better in these situations in the future. If Bowman knows he f***ed up, wants to make amends and help victims moving forward, that’s a good thing in general to come out of a very shitty situation caused by the evil that is Aldrich.

Most who “rehabilitate” and get a second chance don’t immediately get the job of GM and Executive VP with a team who arguably has the best roster in the NHL. I can’t see how the Oilers see this as a great move taking into account the obvious negative blowback and the fact they have had a great offseason and were one win away from the cup. And are they that blind as to the job he really did with the Blackhawks, are are they blinded by the 3 rings he had on his fingers without taking into account the roster he was gifted when he took over? I guess that’s why they hired him, he took a loaded roster on the cusp and sat back and reaped the rewards, that is until he made moves that buried the franchise in the gutter for years. He took a 3 time champion and drove them to one of the worst teams in the NHL.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Because that apparently washes away everything. Bad things happened but "work was put in over 2 years".

Um ok and what was this work? We heard Bowman go off script get angry and say he doesn't want to live in the past about the teenage boy who was attacked. We heard Bowman say Kennedy had to force him to contact beach. Seems like forcing a little kid to do their homework.

read the goddamn letter:

Stan understood this and agreed completely. I invited him to work with our team to help us buildon our vision of the Respect Charter. He accepted and volunteered nearly full-time hours to helpdevelop the program.

It was a powerful and impactful approach—I was coming at it from a victim’s point of view andStan was approaching it as a guy suspended from his job because he could have donemore. Stan’s acceptance, open mindedness, and understanding were huge difference makers inbuilding this workshop. I was impressed with Stan’s insights, but more importantly, just howdeeply he cared.
Stan showed incredible leadership by helping craft the workshop curriculum, using hisexperience as a compelling real-life example, and facilitating the sessions along with a colleaguefrom Chicago.

Along with myself, our Team at Respect Group, and our partners at the Western Hockey League,we conducted 3 Respect Charter pilots in 2023 (Red Deer, Edmonton and Calgary). Check outthis clip of the WHL Workshop with a team during one of our pilot sessions.
Stan’s hockey experience had great credibility with the young players on these 3 teams, but hishonest admission of what he could have done differently really resonated and had an immenseimpact. Stan spoke about how he personally should have been relentless in following up onevery conversation and accusation, rather than trusting others to do so.

In the 2024 season, we expanded the Charter to every team in the WHL, one team in the OHL, theUSA World Junior Men’s Team, who would go on to win the 2024 World Junior Championships,and insisted the Respect Charter was part of their success as noted in their post victoryinterview with USA Hockey Today). We also delivered Respect Charter workshops to threeUniversities in Western Canada (Men’s and Women’s Hockey, Women’s Volleyball Women’sBasketball), USA U17 and U18 National Development Teams, and U17AAA and U18 AAA teams inthe Calgary area in the 2024 season.
In September 2023 Stan co-facilitated the Respect Charter session at Trinity Western Universityin Langley, BC. That workshop was attended by Kyle Beach, who was then the Assistant Coach ofthe Men's Hockey Team. I heard from both men afterwards that they appreciated the opportunityto meet again, discuss their personal realities, and to clear the air given that time had passed.

I have made it my life’s work, through Respect Group and my involvement with Child Advocacy,to empower bystanders through proactive education. Stan has demonstrated to me that he isclearly committed to "doing the work"

 

[Pavel10]

Really hope this isn't a Babcock situation where he insisted "work was put in" and then immediately after being hired turned out he didn't change at all.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

You're one of a small handfuls defending this hiring. And net result you still won't say what the "work he put in" is. You view talking to Sheldon Kennedy as "work". So be it.

You seem to think he had a half hour conversation or something with Kennedy. I think you’re one of the people who say Kennedy was even paid to endorse Bowman.

He has worked full time with the Respect Group and been working with junior, college and youth teams including the university team where Kyle Beach is on the coaching staff.

Look, people can be cynical about this, everyone has their own opinion but you’re making incorrect assumptions and writing them as being factual in this thread.

Grow up and speak truthfully about the situation instead of minimizing what happened to fit a narrative you want it to be. Facts matter not your feelings.

And once you’ve read the reports and watched the interviews and still think it’s a bad hire then fair enough but at least you’ve educated yourself.

 

[McBooya42]

It isn't my job to help you if you literally can't read.

At no point have I defended the hire. Again, if you could read you would see that I have expressed this repeatedly.

I just put him on ignore. There's nothing more insufferable than a poster who is given the information they keep asking for, just for them to refuse to acknowledge it.

 

[dem]

Really hope this isn't a Babcock situation where he insisted "work was put in" and then immediately after being hired turned out he didn't change at all.

And what exactly could he do to prove himself to you? (as if that matters)

Wait for another rape case to happen on the hockey team and be more hands on with ensuring it was handled properly by the team?

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

And what exactly could he do to prove himself to you? (as if that matters)

Wait for another rape case to happen on the hockey team and be more hands on with ensuring it was handled properly by the team?

Why even wait for that? Tell him to f*** off to one of the crap franchises. There wasn’t a single reason to make this hire.

 

[TheNumber4]

Most who “rehabilitate” and get a second chance don’t immediately get the job of GM and Executive VP with a team who arguably has the best roster in the NHL. I can’t see how the Oilers see this as a great move taking into account the obvious negative blowback and the fact they have had a great offseason and were one win away from the cup. And are they that blind as to the job he really did with the Blackhawks, are are they blinded by the 3 rings he had on his fingers without taking into account the roster he was gifted when he took over? I guess that’s why they hired him, he took a loaded roster on the cusp and sat back and reaped the rewards, that is until he made moves that buried the franchise in the gutter for years. He took a 3 time champion and drove them to one of the worst teams in the NHL.

He was hired as GM cause JJ thinks with his experience in hockey and his general philosophy would be a good match to be a good GM. The same thing that got him a GM job in Chicago on way to 3 Cups in the first place.

Whether he should be allowed to be a GM again, decide for yourself. But he has in the last 2 and half years, made actions to make amends for his management mistake in Chicago. Actions that have seen him forgiven by Beach and Kennedy.

 

[Heavy Dee]

The furor will fade over time. Iam old enough to realize the mistakes I made and will never make again. That's what growing and making amends is all about. Bowman is fortunate Jackson and Katz believe in him. He won't f*** this up.

 

[K1984]

And what exactly could he do to prove himself to you? (as if that matters)

Wait for another rape case to happen on the hockey team and be more hands on with ensuring it was handled properly by the team?

This is the mystifying part of all of this. The "lessons" he would have learned are fairly straightforward. If there is an instance of sexual impropriety, it isn't sufficient to rely on your boss to handle it and exit yourself from the situation. I'm quite sure that he won't make the same mistake twice.

He's not addicted to gambling, alcohol or drugs, he isn't a violent person, etc. He doesn't have compulsive liabilities that are hard to control in the context of a senior position. He made a massive mistake (probably out of ignorance) that by the sounds of it caused him to do quite a bit of learning in the area. I frankly don't know how it's really possible that this happens again.

I have way more concerns about his ability as a GM than I do about his ability to handle any SA allegations down the road.

 

[TheNumber4]

“When we do the negotiations, Stan will take the lead and I will be there to support” - JJ

Negotiating will be an upgrade over Holland, which was his weakest attribute. Player targeting will continue to come from JJs scouts and analytics team. It doesn’t sound like Bowman is here to take the reins, he’s here to work collaboratively with JJ.

 

[MessierII]

No idea but the Hawks drafting even in the dynasty years is nothing to write home about. And it got worse when they stopped being a playoff team.

His drafting was pretty solid I don’t see any red flags there. Doesn’t really matter anyway because we just handed the reigns to Pracey he is just one voice added to the mix.

So what part of this hiring excites you exactly?

I think he managed the hawks 2010 cap crunch really well. We will have a similar situation coming up next offseason. At the end of the day he’s just another voice. He doesn’t have full autonomy that much is clear.

 

[Canovin]

“When we do the negotiations, Stan will take the lead and I will be there to support” - JJ

Negotiating will be an upgrade over Holland, which was his weakest attribute. Player targeting will continue to come from JJs scouts and analytics team. It doesn’t sound like Bowman is here to take the reins, he’s here to work collaboratively with JJ.

My concern would be Bowman ability to draft and also scout NHL talents

 

[McDoused]

Read the freaking letter. You keep asking what he did, so read the letter:

https://www.respectgroupinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/my-work-with-stan-bowman-sk.pdf

bUt WhAt DiD hE dO?

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

So in addition to listening the the conference, reading Kennedy's letter and there still being zero clear explanation of "the work put in".

This has now shifted to ok now all you need to do is find a Kennedy interview. Tomorrow all I gotta do is volunteer my time with the respect organization.

I haven't heard a single Bowman defender explain the "work he has put in". The mental hoops the Bowman defenders are going though....

Jesus f***ing Christ. When Kennedy, the co-founder of the Respect Foundation had said he worked full time for the past 6 months for the organization and that this isn’t the end. When Beach himself has said he’s put the work in. When Bowman has said he works with teams and Hockey USA and Trinity College to help educate them.

What do you want people to provide so your satisfied - his job descriptions and transcripts? Meeting notes? Audio recordings?

Nobody here knows the exact f***ing “work he put in” because nobody here f***ing works for the Respect Organization so at some f***ing point you have to trust and believe the sources - which include Kennedy and the f***ing victim.

If not then at least just admit you’re being a about it all and prefer no matter what work Bowman did he should be ostracized for life.

Here’s the interview so you don’t have to find it - second time I’ve posted it for you now. Maybe watch it this time.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1816195870872019421

Woo.

 

[K1984]

His drafting was pretty solid I don’t see any red flags there. Doesn’t really matter anyway because we just handed the reigns to Pracey he is just one voice added to the mix.

I think he managed the hawks 2010 cap crunch really well. We will have a similar situation coming up next offseason. At the end of the day he’s just another voice. He doesn’t have full autonomy that much is clear.

A lot of people forget that the Blackhawks were kind of forced to take a step back after the 2010 win for cap reasons before they could take a step forward. They lost in the first round in 2011 and 2012 before winning again in 13. Bowman had the core set up for him, no doubt about it, but he did do a pretty good job rounding the team out to win two more.

His work from 2017 onwards was horrific, however.

 

[TheNumber4]

My concern would be Bowman ability to draft and also scout NHL talents

I’d be curious to see who his Head of Pro scouting and amateur scouting was in Chicago. I think Holland and his work with Wright, and before him his work with the guy in Dallas, shows that that really falls on the scouts he relies on.

Well have different scouts in Edmonton than he had in Chicago.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Sure, let some other team be the "hero" and hire him then.

And that’s a valid comment. I do not debate that.

But I will die on the hill that people who’ve sincerely atoned and learned from their mistakes deserve a second chance when due diligence has been performed and the person is endorsed by those they may have caused harm to.

 

[Canovin]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1816195870872019421

Woo.

What that post left out is after the first 3 trades, Chicago won another 2 cups.