Stan Bowman is returning to the NHL.
The Edmonton Oilers hired Bowman as their new general manager, the team announced Wednesday.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman first reported the news Wednesday morning.
Bowman replaces Ken Holland, who was not offered an extension by the Oilers when his contract expired on June 30 after a deep playoff run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.
The former general manager of the Chicago Blackhawks, Bowman — in addition to coach Joel Quenneville and fellow executive Al MacIsaac — were banned in 2021 from holding executive positions in the NHL after an independent investigation revealed that they had mishandled allegations of sexual assault raised by a former player, who later identified himself as Kyle Beach, regarding the team’s video coach Brad Aldrich in 2010.
The Blackhawks were subsequently fined $2 million by the league, and settled with Beach for an undisclosed amount in December 2021.
“Let me be very clear: What happened to Kyle Beach in 2010 was wrong, was horrible and wasn’t handled properly at the time,” Jeff Jackson, Oilers CEO of hockey operations, said at a press conference in Edmonton Wednesday. “I think Stan has acknowledged and taken full responsibility for the inadequate response. But I also know that he’s spent a great deal of time in the two and a half years since then to educate himself and try to learn.”
Bowman also spoke of his involvement in the Beach story at the press conference.
“I can tell you in this room and everyone watching, as well as something I’ve said directly to Kyle Beach, that my response was inadequate back in 2010. I didn’t handle things properly. I should have done more. That’s something I regret and it’s something that I’ve had a chance to reflect on and try to learn from,” Bowman said.
All three executives involved were officially reinstated by the NHL on July 1 and were eligible to sign a contract as of July 10.
Bowman revealed that he called Beach on Tuesday night to inform him that he was accepting the front office role with the Oilers and called their conversation “encouraging.” He mentioned that he’s had conversations with Beach since his departure from the Blackhawks organization, both on a personal level and professionally through his work with Respect Group.
Former NHLer Sheldon Kennedy, co-founder of the Respect Group, released a statement earlier last week saying that he has worked closely with Bowman on several initiatives. In the statement, Kennedy said he feels Bowman “would be a valuable asset to an organization due to his acknowledgment of past mistakes and his relentless efforts to make the locker room/game safer for everyone.”
Kennedy was present at Bowman’s introductory press conference and has given his endorsement of the former Blackhawks GM to the Oilers organization.
Respect Group trains Canadians on their roles and responsibilities to prevent bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination.
Bowman was part of presentations for the Respect Charter pilot program. Kennedy said Bowman co-facilitated a Respect Charter session last year at Trinity Western University in Langley, B.C., where one of the workshop attendees was Beach, then an assistant coach with school’s men’s hockey team.
“I heard from both men afterwards that they appreciated the opportunity to meet again, discuss their personal realities, and to clear the air given that time had passed,” Kennedy said in a statement last week
Bowman served in the Blackhawks organization — first as a general manager, then as president of hockey operations — from 2009 to 2021. He won the Stanley Cup three times during that span. He is the son of Hockey Hall of Fame coach Scotty Bowman.