The case for Brad Holland as next Edmonton Oilers GM

Even as the offseason continues, there still doesn't seem to be a sense of urgency per se, to resolve the situation regarding finding the Edmonton Oilers' next general manager. In fairness though, when you have CEO Jeff Jackson doing the job so well on an interim basis, this eases any pressure to find Ken Holland's permanent replacement.

Along with others, we've already suggested Jackson should take on the job of general manager full time, given how good he is at it. However, he's already made it quite clear he doesn't want to, which is more than fair enough.

This leads to the question of who will eventually get the gig? We made the case for Keith Gretzky a few days ago, but who else is in contention?

Like father like son

Along with Gretzky, another internal candidate worthy of consideration, is Brad Holland, son of Ken Holland. He is currently an assistant manager for the Oilers, as well as their director of professional scouting.

Holland did play when he was younger, with three seasons of NCAA Hockey at Sacred Heart University. However, he realised he didn't have a future in the game professionally, and went on to graduate from Fordham University School of Law.

The 43-year-old did practice law for a couple of years, but was eager to get back into hockey, having spent some time working for the NHL. As per Jason Gregor of Oilers Nation, Brendan Shanahan convinced him to work for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and he signed a two-year deal.

Eventually, Holland decided to move on and, after another couple of positions with the NHL, joined the Oilers in 2019 as a scout. Since then he has worked hard to prove himself, and moved up in the organisation to his current roles.

Huge boost to Oilers' scouting of prospects

Holland is renowned for his in-depth analytical approach to scouting, and has been the Oilers' director of professional scouting since the beginning of the 2022-23 season. The organisation was previously criticised for their issues identifying and developing talent, but this has improved immeasurably under his stewardship.

As good as Jackson has been in his role as interim general manager, he makes no secret about leaning on others in the organisation during the draft and the beginning of free agency. This includes Holland, in his position as assistant general manager.

In this respect, Jackson will have used the time during the draft and free agency to evaluate Holland (as well as fellow assistant general managers Gretzky and Bill Scott), and see how well-suited he would be to the role of main general manager. Which leads us to what might go against him getting the job.

Why Holland may be passed over for the GM role

In one respect, Holland has gained considerable and relevant experience over the years. And yet, just purely because of his age, doesn't have as much experience as some of the other candidates in the running for such an in-demand role.

We appreciate the saying that if you're good enough, you're old enough, and in this respect you would assume Jackson will be smart enough to take this into account when considering his options for the next permanent general manager. However, just among internal candidates alone, the reality is that Gretzky is arguably more deserving, at least at this time.

Fair or not, another reason that Holland may well be passed over for the job, comes down to his surname. As per Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic (subscription required), with his father just leaving the Oilers, it's difficult to envision the transition of power staying in the family.

In summary, we would contend that Holland is an ideal choice to become the main general manager a little further down the road. The irony being, that by the time he is considered the right candidate, it's likely to be somewhere other than in Edmonton.

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