Former Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland Officially Hired For New Role By The NHL

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Tom Banks
November 12, 2024 (1:32 PM)

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Ken Holland was let go by the Edmonton Oilers this past off-season, but it hasn't taken the veteran long to find a new role.

This past summer, the Edmonton Oilers finally moved on from General Manager Ken Holland, much to the pleasure of their fan base who became confused and frustrated with the team that he put around Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Unsurprisingly however, Holland began drawing interest from many different places, with the latest rumour being a new role within the NHL itself.

Now, the NHL has confirmed that new role, officially announcing that Holland has joined the NHL's Hockey Operations department, as a consultant.

With over 27 years of experience between the Detroit Red Wings and the Edmonton Oilers, Holland brings a wealth of knowledge on the sport and the league to a department that has come under fire plenty in recent times. In his role as a consultant, it's unclear exactly what Holland will be working on with the league, but given how the league is continually looking to improve, he could be a fantastic pickup.

As noted by ESPN's Greg Wyshynski, Holland played a key role with the league back in 2015/16 in implementing the three-on-three overtime rules we see in the NHL today, with many noting that he was a very forward thinker during his time on the rules committee. Edmonton Oilers fans will tell you however that his player development and roster building hasn't been as good as it once was, so while he seemingly held out hope of another GM job in the league, it appears this may have been the best role possible for him.

While his full role and impact won't be felt immediately, Holland is a veteran of the NHL with so much experience behind the scenes, and with the league continually looking to improve, hopefully he can bring some fresh new ideas to the team.