Oilers release statement following Holland's departure as GM

The Edmonton Oilers and Ken Holland have officially parted ways after a five-year tenure.

Holland was hired to be the general manager of the Oilers ahead of the 2019-20 season, signing a five-year deal with the organization. Throughout 2023-24, there were whispers that this could be his final season with the team, and those turned out to be correct, as the two sides agreed to mutually part ways.

“The Edmonton Oilers and Ken Holland have mutually agreed that his contract will not be extended beyond the end of its current term,” Oilers CEO of hockey operations Jeff Jackson said in a statement.

“Over the past five seasons as general manager, Ken has not only built the Edmonton Oilers into one of the NHL’s best teams, but he has also established a deeply rooted foundation of success and a culture of winning that will continue well into the future. Thanks in large part to Ken’s outstanding work, Edmonton has become a destination city for players around the National Hockey League.

“We wish Ken, Cindi, and his entire family the very best and thank him for his leadership and contributions to the Oilers organization and the City of Edmonton.”

Holland was able to help lead the Oilers to the playoffs in all five seasons with the organization, including this year’s trip to the Stanley Cup Final in which they fell just one game shy of winning it all.

The future is unknown for Holland at this time, with TSN’s Darren Dreger reporting this morning that the 68-year-old is in no rush to decide whether to join another team or perhaps retire from the game altogether. Should this be it, it was a remarkable run for Holland, who won four Stanley Cups as a general manager with the Detroit Red Wings and came oh-so-close to his fifth with the Oilers this year.

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