NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 25, 2024
Reaction to the Oilers hiring Stan Bowman as their new GM, the Sabres sign Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to a long-term contract, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers announced they hired Stan Bowman as their new general manager and vice president of hockey operations. He becomes the 11th general manager in Oilers history.
Bowman spent over 20 years with the Chicago Blackhawks, 12 of those as general manager. He resigned from the Blackhawks in 2021 after an independent investigation found he and others mishandled sexual assault allegations by player Kyle Beach in 2010 against the club’s then-video coach Bradley Aldrich. Bowman was suspended by the NHL until lifted earlier this month by league Commissioner Gary Bettman.
During his introductory press conference, Bowman admitted his response to the Beach situation was inadequate and mishandled, saying it was something he regrets. He worked with Sheldon Kennedy and his organization, Respect Group, as part of the process of learning about the prevention of bullying, harassment, abuse and discrimination. Kennedy recently endorsed Bowman’s effort to return to the NHL.
Edmonton Oilers hire Stan Bowman as new GM. (NHL.com).
Bowman also said that he reached out to Beach with Kennedy’s encouragement. The two have kept in touch since last year, including Bowman spending a day and a half working with Beach at Trinity Western University in British Columbia, where Beach works as an assistant coach. Bowman said he called Beach the day before his hiring by the Oilers, calling it an encouraging conversation.
Nevertheless, Bowman’s hiring by the Oilers was not well received on social media.
THE ATHLETIC: Mark Lazerus reviewed Bowman’s work as Blackhawks general manager. He knows how to win by building around a superstar core and bold enough to go for it with a team in contention. In that regard, he makes sense for an Oilers team in “win-now” mode.
Lazerus also noted Bowman’s mistakes, such as his reputation as a poor contract negotiator and his inability to stick to a rebuilding plan. The Blackhawks had poor player development under his watch, and his trades of Patrick Sharp, Phillip Danault, Teuvo Teravainen, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Artemi Panarin didn’t pan out.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bowman inherited a strong Blackhawks roster and managed it well for several years, winning three Stanley Cups from 2009-10 to 2014-15. However, the wheels quickly fell off during the latter years of his tenure.
He should do well with the current Oilers roster but it remains to be seen if he learned from his mistakes with the Blackhawks. Otherwise, the Oilers could face a swift, ugly decline in a few years.
Kennedy’s endorsement was crucial to Bowman’s return to the management ranks and I trust his judgment. Bowman’s efforts to learn and grow helped him establish a positive relationship with Beach.
Nevertheless, I’m having difficulty accepting this news. The Beach situation was bad enough but Lazerus also pointed out it was the failure of people like Bowman that led directly to the sexual abuse of a minor by Aldrich.
THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres avoided salary arbitration with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen as the two sides agreed to a five-year deal with an average annual value of $4.75 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Luukkonen earned that new deal with a solid performance in an otherwise disappointing season for the Sabres. He’s established himself as their starter going forward.
Some wondered what this means for promising netminder Devon Levi, especially after the Sabres signed James Reimer to a one-year contract. Levi will likely spend this season developing his game with the Sabres AHL affiliate in Rochester.
PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers formerly introduced winger Matvei Michkov to the media on Wednesday. Michkov, 19, was their first-round pick (seventh overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft.
“We don’t see him as a saviour,” said Flyers GM Daniel Briere. “That’s certainly not what we’re putting on his shoulder. He’s 19-years-old. He’s coming in to learn, to expand his game.”
Flyers fans have high hopes that Michkov could blossom into a scoring superstar. He said he’s overwhelmed by the fans’ reaction and how welcoming they’ve made him feel.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Michkov has the potential to become an NHL scoring star. Nevertheless, the Flyers must carefully manage his usage in his rookie season and those heightened expectations by their fans.
NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: An arbitrator awarded Predators defenseman Spencer Stastney a two-year contract. The first year is a two-way deal with a cap hit of $825K at the NHL level. He’ll earn $850K in the second year.
SJ HOCKEY NOW: The San Jose Sharks re-signed defenseman Henry Thrun to a two-year contract with an AAV of $1 million.
SPORTSNET: Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia said he’d be interested in returning the NHL to Arizona one day.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t doubt Ishbia’s sincerity but it’ll take more than words to make that a reality, like a suitable NHL venue and the dollars to make a suitable expansion bid. Build a new arena and put up $1 billion and then I’ll believe you’re serious. Otherwise, this is just empty talk no one wants to hear anymore.
Build a new arena? There was some old talk about renovating the Suns arena for hockey. Is that still possible?
I’m a fan of hockey in the desert. If anyone actually bothered to attend a Yotes home game then they’d probably feel better for AZ’s deserving fans. (I’m a Buffalo fan; not a suntanned AZ’er.)
The growth of youth hockey – and NCAA hockey – since WPG relocated there has been nothing short of remarkable.
You place any team in a bad out of the way barn and they’ll disappoint. Give any team poor ownership and they’ll flounder. PHX absolutely deserves to have a team, and they’ll do well if given a fighting chance.
Congrats to Bowman. He did what he could do to address a wrong that will never be fully righted. He never was a favorite GM of mine, but it looks as though all of this has made him a better person.
He’s a terrible human who should never be able to work in the NHL again. It’s disgusting he’s back. He’s an enabler and has no integrity and seriously lacks in good character
Agree a bad call by oilers ownership
I knew stuff like this would show up on social media, including here.
Did Bowman make a mistake. Yes. A bad one.
Should he have paid a price? Yes, a hefty one.
Did he pay a price for that mistake? Yes.
Did he learn from it and establish a positive relationship with the victim? Apparently.
Does Sheldon Kennedy, having worked with Bowman for some time on the issues involved, trust him? Yes.
Still, let’s go with Paul and M4Bruin’s assessment of a man they haven’t met, know nothing about, and who presume to know better than people who have worked with him on this issue, including the victim.
That’s the way we should judge people. What is as comforting as sanctimoniousness?
I know these days folks treat everything as binary, and feel the need to take a side or stance. IMO it’s often not that simple. I don’t think he should be banned forever, and I certainly wouldn’t be the cheering section for Bowman and Q like Johnny. Just strange man, like over and over again.
First off, I wouldn’t hire him, as the GM, and it wouldn’t be because of Twitter reaction, it would be because of the players in the room and the rest of the Oiler staff. I sure hope Jackson reached out to them.
I also think of him differently than Quenneville as he was not one of the 4 people who were initially made aware in 2010. Q was. And yes, I think the ones who knew then didn’t talk about it, and McDonaugh put the clamps on that.
Kennedy’s endorsement means something to me, I met the guy and chatted with him for a solid 30 minutes. Just about hockey. A genuine guy.
There other quality GM candidates, and that is the high profile premium MGT job on an NHL team. If someone feels he should been given a 2nd chance, not against that, but how about a lower level position, and earn your way back? How about GM of the AHL team? Advisor role?
I am all for 2nd chances, but this just doesn’t sit right. I dunno, really tough one.
Quenneville? Go coach in KHL.
Ray, the choice is binary: Bowman gets a chance, or he doesn’t.
The reaction wouldn’t be any different if he started in the AHL. And what would the point of that be? He has either earned his way back or not.
I would be very surprised if the Oilers’ due diligence did not include talking to McDavid and Draisaitil. In fact, wouldn’t you bet they have been consulted?
The Oilers did not consult with any of the players prior to hiring Bowman.
“Jackson (Jeff Jackson, Oilers CEO) said he did not talk to Edmonton Oilers players about the hiring of Bowman. “I did not talk to the players… The player are consulted on many things on a day-to-day basis, about their travel, about their practice schedule, about how they’re feeling about things. They are not consulted on the firing and hiring of coaches or general managers. That’s not what they want. They don’t want to do that.”
https://edmontonjournal.com/sports/hockey/nhl/cult-of-hockey/super-exicted-edmonton-oilers-hockey-boss-jeff-jackson-stands-up-for-new-hire-stan-bowman#:~:text=Jackson%20said%20he%20did%20not,they're%20feeling%20about%20things.
LJ
Do you know him. Highly doubt it. You are entitled to your opinion as everyone else is entitled to theirs. My opinion ain’t changing based on someone else’s. So agree to disagree
Yes, M4bruin, you are absolutely entitled to your opinion.
The difference is that while I too was appalled at what happened to Beach, I’m relying on the reported support of those with personal knowledge of Bowman’s work to make amends, including those involved, while you and others here are basing your comments on your own value system.
If people who make mistakes can’t earn their way back by legitimate efforts then there is little incentive for them to become better people. We all lose if that takes hold.
Lyle: thanks. A bit of a surprise but makes sense.
Hi LJ, yes I do think the reaction would be different if he started in the AHL, and again I am talking about the team, it’s players, it’s staff.
I like what he did speaking to Kennedy and that he apologized to Beach and spent a day and half working with him. And he did his time outside the league.
You mention him earning it, I agree, he should.
Perhaps we simply have a different opinion on what earning your way back looks like.
Prove it to the folks in the organization, and earn their respect as I am guessing he lost some of it.
I understand why the players don’t want to be involved in the hiring and firing of coaches and managers, that is a fair answer by Jackson. But whether or not he wants them to be, they will be involved in this as I would bet $$ they will get asked about this. So in a way he protected them from having to say they were OK with it, but he didn’t protect them from the questions. Fair or not, I think they’re coming.
Oilers-Why. Just Why. Because his dad still has friends around the league.
Just another horrible move by an NHL team with little social regard for the situation
At the first sign of faltering in the new season they’ll probably fire the coach and hire Quenneville, completing the charade.
If we shouldn’t talk about or analyze Bowman because we don’t know him, why are we talking anout anybody on here?
Really good point.
Some things in life are not easy to forgive. Bowman was in a position that could have easily altered the future of who knows who. I will guarantee you that Beach was just the tip of the iceberg. How many others were sexually abused by Aldrich but have never come forward. Most of these types of crimes are never reported because of the embarrassment that the victim feels and will have to live with the rest of his/her life. I’m not sure why the NHL would even think about allowing a person to come back into the fold when there are many others that are more worthy. Bettman and his cronies should be ashamed of themselves.
Bruins …lost 25% of their goals scored last season to players leaving team ( coach says can’t win every game 2-1 ) they didn’t come close to gaining that 25% + back …they chose a #5 Dman at 5 million per ( huge overpay) instead of a FA goal scorer ….. there were a few of #5 Dmen FA’s available that can do what Zadorov will do at a lot cheaper $$$ per
Joe they signed a top 6 center amongst a terrible field of free agent centers,everyone complained about their lack of toughness on D and they tortured Grezlyk! Mantha is one of the softest players in the league! You think JDB was frustrating,this guy is worse!
Very good signing by Sabres -good money, maybe a year too long on term. UPL and Levi will eventually push each other.
Bruins ….paid Zadorov 5 million per and might have been able to get V Desharnais/Mantha for 5.5 million per….
Joe
Z better fit than both of those IMHO. He will be worth weight in gold come playoffs
Joe i will go on record and say Boston will be one of the top defensive teams in the NHL this upcoming season.
their strength is from the net out and they will win a lot of low scoring games.
If Stan wasn t Scotties son,would we be even talking about this!So does this mean Quenville is on his way back to coaching?
Regardless of whether he deserves a second chance, Stan Bowman covered up a deplorable crime, and the Oilers want to be part of his story strangely. Perhaps the can redeem his professional career, but the baggage of his past failings is something they will forever be associated with now.
Travis Konecny just signed an 8-year $70 mil deal with Philadelphia at an annual average of $8.75
That’s a lot of money for an undersized winger! Didn t they learn their lesson after signing Couterier! Oh that’s right they signed Hathaway for over 2 million AAV!
Sr, while he may be on the smaller size, as wingers generally go, at 5′ 10 192 lbs he’s a solid, feisty presence out there who gives as good as he takes.
That’s the way I remember him with the Ottawa 67s of the OHL.
To this point in his career he has averaged 25g 33a 58 pts over 82-game stretches.
The only question is, how will that contract age as he’ll turn 35 in its final year.