Stan Bowman Worst GM of the Year?

[ManofSteel55]

Anyone want to guess who influenced the Jeff Jackson hiring?

That player is the real cause of the mess, as he wants to play GM also.

Also influenced the Nurse and Brown signings.

All speculation by an Oiler hater. Nothing to see here.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Problem #1 is that they need a reliable starting goalie. Skinner should be a backup goalie that can step up if needed. He doesn't seem to be able to handle the pressure that comes with being a starter.

Canucks signed Lankinen to a 875k contract at the start of the season. There are solid options out there and no legitimate excuses for not seeking them out.

Problem #2 is Oilers mgmt believing that Nurse is a top pairing D. He isn't anywhere close to that other than being vastly overpaid.

If they were able to find a solid defensively responsible option to play alongside Bouchard, it would do wonders for them. Having Nurse and Bouchard play together should be a fireable offence.

Nurse is overpaid, but he hasn't been the problem this year. He's been easily Edmonton's most consistent and best defenseman. He did an amazing job all year carrying partners like Stecher on the 2nd pair. I agree that he's not the right partner for Bouchard though. That is the biggest problem on the blueline - Ekholm was battling an injury all year, and Bouchard is so so bad defensively when he doesn't have a solid guy like Ekholm bailing him out.

 

[Cool Hand Puke]

The only thing Bowman did was decline to match offer sheets that were, in fairness deliberately priced to maximize the chances of going unmatched.

Injuries are hurting the Oilers more than anything he did or did not do. Frankly, I'd argue keeping the powder dry in a year where the team is skidding is better long term planning than spending assets on trying to prop up a weak ship.

Injuries aren’t slowing down Dallas? And I’d argue their injuries are more impactful

 

[ManofSteel55]

Blues really took advantage of him with those offer sheets.

I couldn't tell you how dire their cap situation is, but that team needs to address it's goaltending in the summer. Can't keep ignoring what is clearly a giant gaping hole in your lineup.

Their cap situation was tough, but they just seemed stuck on the fact that with Skinner and Pickard, they could run a tandem that makes under $4, and they could outscore their problems. Skinner regressed, and now that hole that nearly the entire fanbase has seen for over a year is once again failing the Oilers. The big issue, is Bowman/Jackson refusing to make a deal for a goalie.

 

[ManofSteel55]

The only thing Bowman did was decline to match offer sheets that were, in fairness deliberately priced to maximize the chances of going unmatched.

Injuries are hurting the Oilers more than anything he did or did not do. Frankly, I'd argue keeping the powder dry in a year where the team is skidding is better long term planning than spending assets on trying to prop up a weak ship.

The Broberg OS makes sense to leave. He wanted out anyway, his agent was vocal about it. The Holloway OS should have been an insta-match. That's the real issue of those offer sheets. Also, them trying to blame it all on Holland was awful and embarassing.

 

[Diogenes92]

Nurse is overpaid, but he hasn't been the problem this year. He's been easily Edmonton's most consistent and best defenseman. He did an amazing job all year carrying partners like Stecher on the 2nd pair. I agree that he's not the right partner for Bouchard though. That is the biggest problem on the blueline - Ekholm was battling an injury all year, and Bouchard is so so bad defensively when he doesn't have a solid guy like Ekholm bailing him out.

I just see his hockey IQ as being bottom pairing level.

The 2nd LA goal where he was floating past the play and watching while Byfield walked in uncontested was hard to watch.

 

[ManofSteel55]

I just see his hockey IQ as being bottom pairing level.

The 2nd LA goal where he was floating past the play and watching while Byfield walked in uncontested was hard to watch.

He's fine until he feels he has to do too much to cover for his partners. He needs a steady partner, not a gambler/floater like Bouchard. That's why he worked so well with Stecher. Edmonton's blueline is a mess right now with Ekholm and Stecher both out.

 

[Brookbank]

Somewhere around the Kings fourth powerplay goal last night it really became wild to see just how badly Bowman fumbled the Oilers depth situation after it felt like it finally all came together last year. The moves all looked kinda bad at the time and now with the benefit of seeing it play out look even worse.

Might be one of the worst pieces of GM’ing in some time for a team in its contention window.

Yep. He had one job as an outsider coming into Edmonton in a management role. Find a #1 NHL goaltender.

Not matching at least one of the 2 offersheets is the height of insanity. At least you are playing it 50/50 then. Or was Bowman not even there at that point, i dont recall

 

[Brookbank]

The only thing Bowman did was decline to match offer sheets that were, in fairness deliberately priced to maximize the chances of going unmatched.

And that was completely indefensible stupidity. At the very least, match one of them. Most offer sheets in this league are matched. He had 2 chances to make the right decision.

 

[Draiskull]

Bowman has done nothing but troll the Edmonton Oilers.

Right side of D is Bouchard, Emberson, Klingberg, Josh Brown and Stetcher. Goaltending is Skinner and Pickard.

Top 6 had rejects in Podkolzin, Kapanen, JSkinner and Perry for large portion of the season including some in playoffs.

Gives away most future picks and most top prospects.

Trades for Trent LTIR Frederic at deadline as the big add. The guy can barely skate right now.

And then there was the offersheet.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Why, did he help cover up the sexual assault of one of his players again?

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

I've hated pretty much all his moves. Only one I kinda liked was bringing in Arvidsson, but he hasn't worked out as hoped either and it was still stupid to use that cap space when you have young players as pending RFAs.

I also hate his smug face and don't understand why he got a job again after everything that happened with the Hawks.

Nothing against the Oilers, but I've took pleasure watching the Kings beat them just because of Bowman.

 

[All Mod Cons]

Dubas

 

[Jared Dunn]

Jeff Jackson's fault when most (myself included tbf) were anointing him the not-GM of the year. Team would be better if they did literally nothing

 

[RogerRoger]

Not in a world that includes what Nashville has done.

 

[DJJones]

Jeff Jackson's fault when most (myself included tbf) were anointing him the not-GM of the year. Team would be better if they did literally nothing

Doing nothing was 100% the right choice. It's actually remarkable how they didn't hit on any of the gambles.

McLeod, Brober, Holloway and Foegele all out performed who they got to replace them. You'd think you would hit on one of them just by pure luck but it wasn't even close.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

He has to be right? The only other one in the discussion is Trotz, but at least he has the excuse that he doesn't get to build around McDavid and Draisaitl.

 

[MrLunatik]

I hate Bowman. I think he is a terrible GM and terrible human being.

Now the facts.

Bowman was hired July 24th, 2024. Literally the only moves he oversaw this summer was the offer sheets and teh Ceci trade

 

[Jared Dunn]

Doing nothing was 100% the right choice. It's actually remarkable how they didn't hit on any of the gambles.

McLeod, Brober, Holloway and Foegele all out performed who they got to replace them. You'd think you would hit on one of them just by pure luck but it wasn't even close.

Broberg and Holloway were obviously very public gaffes but I didn't realize until a few weeks ago just how productive McLeod was as well. Not only the fact that none of their gambles really hit, but also literally all the guys who walked had career years. I thought he Arvidsson and Skinner signings were going to be home runs

 

[JPeeper]

Nashville was built with old free agents with a team of nobodies sans Forsberg and Josi.

Edmonton just made the finals, have a generational top 5 all time talent and bumass Draisaitl who at least puts up points and they've surrounded them with......horse shit. Barring an LA collapse they're going to bow out of the first round because no goalies, no prospect of ever getting goaltending, the 2 most overpaid (well, soon to be) d-men who play defense at a Tyke level, absolutely no d-depth, and offensive depth of...Hyman and RNH and bums.

Jackson and Bowman are much MUCH worse than what Nashville did.

 

[McFlash97]

Unequivocally Yes.

Absolute clown from Holloway to the trade deadline. Absolutely decimated the roster after Jackson failed to re-up Foegle. Then Proceeded to double down on historical bad goaltending.

The only right thing to do is fire him the next day if the Oilers lose in the first round.

Do not let him decimate an already decimated roster further. He lacks the ability to judge talent. Hes cluless.

His trade deadline was as inept as it gets.

 

[Big Trout]

I have a hard time choosing between Bowman and Drury

 

[Roof Daddy]

As mentioned, most of the damage was done by Jackson, but honestly most of those moves looked good at the time. The only one that didn’t make sense was Skinner. You’re looking for a missing piece to a Stanley Cup contender and you choose…. a player who has never seen playoff action in a 14 year career???? Does not compute.

But Janmark-Henrique-Brown was a great shutdown line. To bring back that shutdown line for a combined 5.4 million looked brilliant. How can you know all 3 are going to have a major regression?

Signing Arvidsson over bringing back Foegele seemed lateral. Trading size and speed for higher skill level and a bigger shot (RH as well). Again, who would predict Foegele finally discovers consistency and Arvidsson decides there’s a 4 spin out quota per game he must fulfill (I swear I’ve never seen a guy wipe out so much).

McLeod for Savoie was a future move more than anything. The Oil wanted a guy they thought had higher offensive ceiling who will play on an ELC. Again, who could predict McLeod would become consistent with doing the things he needs to do (going to the net vs playing on the perimeter.

The only things Bowman butchered was not matching Holloway (never made any sense, especially after losing burners like McLeod and Foegele, team speed had already been compromised), and not upgrading goaltending. That’s enough to be in the running, but I wouldn’t say worst GM in the league. The Ceci-Emberson trade to shave cap was well handled. Picking up Podkolzin was solid.

But yes, if you combine him and Jackson, it would definitely rival Nashville for incompetent off-season.

 

[NVious]

Year 10 of McDavid, you have this year and next guaranteed, after that you could be looking at total blackness if McDavid leaves and Drai will likely want out too.

So you gotta get the best D/G available, does none of that and is paying dearly for it.

The fact that now you're counting on a career AHLer in Pickard says it all, total disaster.

 

[DJJones]

As mentioned, most of the damage was done by Jackson, but honestly most of those moves looked good at the time. The only one that didn’t make sense was Skinner. You’re looking for a missing piece to a Stanley Cup contender and you choose…. a player who has never seen playoff action in a 14 year career???? Does not compute.

But Janmark-Henrique-Brown was a great shutdown line. To bring back that shutdown line for a combined 5.4 million looked brilliant. How can you know all 3 are going to have a major regression?

Signing Arvidsson over bringing back Foegele seemed lateral. Trading size and speed for higher skill level and a bigger shot (RH as well). Again, who would predict Foegele finally discovers consistency and Arvidsson decides there’s a 4 spin out quota per game he must fulfill (I swear I’ve never seen a guy wipe out so much).

McLeod for Savoie was a future move more than anything. The Oil wanted a guy they thought had higher offensive ceiling who will play on an ELC. Again, who could predict McLeod would become consistent with doing the things he needs to do (going to the net vs playing on the perimeter.

The only things Bowman butchered was not matching Holloway (never made any sense, especially after losing burners like McLeod and Foegele, team speed had already been compromised), and not upgrading goaltending. That’s enough to be in the running, but I wouldn’t say worst GM in the league. The Ceci-Emberson trade to shave cap was well handled. Picking up Podkolzin was solid.

But yes, if you combine him and Jackson, it would definitely rival Nashville for incompetent off-season.

At what point do you think the guy in charge is not just a moron? They developed and worked with these guys and apparently 3 other teams knew their worth more than them. And then at the same time thought they were getting steals on players that no one else wanted to pay