Ken Holland has been named general manager and president of hockey operations of the Edmonton Oilers. He leaves the Detroit Red Wings organization where he was named senior vice president of the team and had signed a multi-year contract with Detroit less than a month ago after a lengthy stay as the team's General Manager.

Holland was part of four Stanley Cup Championships with Detroit during his tenure there including three while serving as the Red Wings' general manager.  He has an extensive hockey background as a player, goaltending coach, scout and general manager.

His task will not be easy.  The Oilers are a far cry from the glory days when they had Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and Grant Fuhr.  They were the dominant team in the 1980's when they won five Stanley Cup Championships.  They have made the NHL playoffs just once in the past 13 seasons.  The first move Holland made was to fire coach Ken Hitchcock.

Holland was a fan favorite in Binghamton when he was a starting goaltender for the Broome Dusters and Binghamton Whalers.  He was honored by being selected as a Second-Team All-Star goaltender with the Dusters in the North American Hockey League and with the Binghamton Whalers in 1981. Holland was among the first class inducted into the Binghamton Hockey Hall of Fame.in 1998.

 

 

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