[News] Oilers name Bob Nicholson CEO

[Joborule]

This is actually bad news if Katz lets Nicholson do the right thing and can Lowe and others below him.

[Hammertime]

Moves like these usually precede a wipe-out of the previous regime. We saw it with Burke canning Feaster, I see it all the time in the corporate world.

[flames_fan_down_under]

Smart move by the Oilers.

I imagine Lowe and the rest of the alumni will be shown the door soon.

Good news for Oilers fans if that is the case. BOA might actually mean something in a couple years which would be awesome.

[trublmaker]

If Nicholson does clean house I would hope he uses skype

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Interesting to think that this may be a similar scenario to the Shanahan hiring in Toronto, whereby over the next season he effectively takes control of everything to do with hockey operations and leaves Lowe / MacT as relatively powerless in so far as they have no final decision-making power. I've always thought Nicholson was a reasonably on the ball sort, but I don't have a strong opinion on him.

Originally Posted by Tinordi

The nightmare scenario is that the Oilers simply hire somebody like Chiarelli, something that is actually imminently possible.

Chiarelli has given out some boneheaded contracts and the Seguin trade set that franchise back a significant amount. I wouldn't exactly tremble at the thought.

[PeteMoss]

Oilers promoting a guy after a terrible season? Well at least they are consistent.

[Huntingwhale]

The Oilers are first in line to get Mcdavid. The new arena opening up soon. A highly regarded executive such as Nicholson is promoted as the companies CEO. The oilers would be incredibly STUPID to not clean house and let Lowe and his crew go. I know they are already stupid, but right now the oilers have no excuse to not let Lowe go. As a Flames fan I have a terrible feeling right now...

MOD EDIT: No swearing, please.

[Gaudfather]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Interesting to think that this may be a similar scenario to the Shanahan hiring in Toronto, whereby over the next season he effectively takes control of everything to do with hockey operations and leaves Lowe / MacT as relatively powerless in so far as they have no final decision-making power.

Unlike Shanahan, Nicholson has already has already had a ringside seat in the Oilers organization for a year - I suspect he is ready to make big moves and make them now - he doesn't need another season.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Well, that can happen when you've drafted top 10 in 8 of the last 9 years.

Which they have. Which is why they have the assets to turn it around if they had competent leadership.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by Gaudfather

Unlike Shanahan, Nicholson has already has already had a ringside seat in the Oilers organization for a year - I suspect he is ready to make big moves and make them now - he doesn't need another season.

You may be right. My thinking was, when it comes to internal politics in a large organization (especially given the egos in play), it may take a bit of time; if you want to seize the reins immediately the best course would just be to fire KLowe. Which they should obviously do.

[Locke]

I thought he was already the CEO....WTF has he been doing all year besides the BS fake forensic audit?

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

I thought he was a VP or some such "no idea what this means" title.

[Gaudfather]

Originally Posted by Locke

I thought he was already the CEO....WTF has he been doing all year besides the BS fake forensic audit?

I suspect he's been waiting for Katz to give him the green light to clean up this <removed>

[saillias]

He was already in a position of power in the Katz business? This just reeks of Oiler cronyism. Accountabilibuddies hi-fiving each other across the board as they all get new titles.

I'd still be surprised if they fired MacT or Lowe.

[Azhouse]

I pedict that they send MacT (and all of the dullards below him) kicking turds down the highway. I further predict that Lowe somehow survives (in some BS capacity or another) due to all of his years of dedicated service to the mighty Coil.

[Geeoff]

I mean...they'd have to at least fire their brutal scouting staff right?

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Lowe and Nicholson are buddies, no way he fires him. Not sure where this rep for Nicholson comes from, he's proven nothing other than running a national program, which is great, but it's hardly the NHL. Who do you think had a hand in given Lowe all his BS appointments to Olympic Teams?

[The Fonz]

McDavid told the Oilers he isn't coming?

What scared me most after the Oilers won the lotto, and seeing the disappointment on McDavid's face, was the thought that this is going to be the catalyst that gets MacT + Lowe fired, finally. I honestly believe that McDavid + his agent have no intention of joining that circus in Edmonton, and would express this to management/Katz.

The Oilers are already on the top of every sought after UFAs 'do not sign there' list, large in part to Lowe/MacT, so that avenue is closed. Now, if you remove their ability to even sign drafted players, because of those 2 goofs, then how can business possibly go on with them in the fold? It can't. Even the biggest 80s Oiler fan billionaire can see that.

This scares me. Coming the day after the Oilers won Connor McDavid, they hired someone above Lowe + MacT, who is not an old boy. Reading between the lines... I fully expect both to be released by the club before we get to the draft.

[Mony]

I'd still be worried if I was an Oilers fan. This is probably a step in the right direction, but it was said before that MacT and Lowe are feeling little to no pressure from the organization. We'll have to see what happens.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

McDavid told the Oilers he isn't coming?

What scared me most after the Oilers won the lotto, and seeing the disappointment on McDavid's face, was the thought that this is going to be the catalyst that gets MacT + Lowe fired, finally. I honestly believe that McDavid + his agent have no intention of joining that circus in Edmonton, and would express this to management/Katz.

The Oilers are already on the top of every sought after UFAs 'do not sign there' list, large in part to Lowe/MacT, so that avenue is closed. Now, if you remove their ability to even sign drafted players, because of those 2 goofs, then how can business possibly go on with them in the fold? It can't. Even the biggest 80s Oiler fan billionaire can see that.

This scares me. Coming the day after the Oilers won Connor McDavid, they hired someone above Lowe + MacT, who is not an old boy. Reading between the lines... I fully expect both to be released by the club before we get to the draft.

I doubt it would happen, but I could see them cleaning house to start eliminating reasons for him to tell them to piss off.