Stan Bowman is back in the NHL after the Edmonton Oilers announced Wednesday that He has been hired as the franchise’s new general manager.
The hiring comes three weeks after Bowman, along with former Blackhawks executive Al MacIsaac and former head coach Joel Quenneville, were reinstated to the NHL after being punished by the NHL in 2021 for their inadequate response to the Chicago Blackhawks sexual assault scandal.
All three were banned from holding executive positions in the NHL after… an independent investigation They were shown to have mishandled former Blackhawk Kyle Beach’s sexual assault allegations in 2010 regarding Brad Aldrich, the team’s then-video coach.
The NHL Fined the Blackhawks $2 million and the team reached an agreement with Beach for an undisclosed amount of money in December 2021.
On July 1, Bowman, MacIsaac and Quenneville were officially reinstated and became eligible on July 10 to join a team.
Bowman’s work with Respect Group
Former NHL player Sheldon Kennedy, who She was a victim of sexual abuse By his youth hockey coach, Graham James, he is the co-founder of Respect groupwhich allows “individuals to recognize and prevent harassment, abuse, bullying and discrimination through an interactive online certification.” Last week it released a statement about the work it had done with Bowman, MacIsaac and Quenneville during its time away from hockey.
“During our numerous conversations, he took responsibility for his actions and genuinely wanted to learn how to do better. His desire to acknowledge his mistakes and make amends with Kyle was sincere.” Kennedy said in his statement.
“I believe Stan would be a valuable asset to an organization because of his acknowledgement of past mistakes and his tireless efforts to make the locker room and the game safer for everyone. He possesses the perspective, knowledge, and confidence necessary to lead in this area. I feel that building a strong, healthy culture within an organization and practicing it on an ongoing basis will be a top priority for Stan. I also believe that Stan will carry this message within the hockey ecosystem, which can only help.
“Lastly, and most importantly, I think Stan will do everything in his power to make sure that what happened to Kyle Beach (who is a hero in my eyes) doesn’t happen to anyone else.
“I know that wherever Stan lands, whether in hockey or not, he will be a true champion in the important area of Respect.”
Bowman replaces Ken Holland, who had been the Oilers’ general manager since 2019 but did not renew his contract after the 2023-24 NHL season that saw the team fall in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.