The Edmonton Oilers make waves with Stan Bowman's new GM appointment

Stan Bowman started with the Blackhawks in 2001 and was promoted to General Manager in 2009. During his time in charge, the team clinched three Stanley Cups.

In 2021, Stan Bowman resigned and was later banned from the NHL due to his mishandling of abuse allegations from former player Kyle Beach. Rather than addressing the claims, Bowman and the Blackhawks allowed the perpetrator, Brad Aldrich, to leave with a positive reference, which enabled Aldrich to harm more young players. This situation represents a severe failure on Bowman's part, as it involved covering up a crime to avoid disrupting the Blackhawks' success at the time.

Many Oilers fans are stunned by the team's decision to hire Stan Bowman this year, particularly given Jeff Jackson's tenure. There were several other candidates with more recent league experience, impressive resumes, and none of the controversial history that Bowman has. Considering the Oilers are positioned to contend for multiple Stanley Cups, this hiring seems like a questionable choice that could have been avoided.

The NHL and various sources have emphasized that Stan Bowman has made efforts to learn and improve after his failure to address an abuse claim within his organization. Despite these assurances, public trust remains deeply eroded. For a team that recently earned significant goodwill from its fans, this hiring represents a major misstep for the Edmonton Oilers.

Source: Oilers Daily
Edmonton Oilers announce Stan Bowman as General Manager