Jackson applauded Holland’s work, especially the signing of Toronto free-agent Zach Hyman and trading for Mattias Ekholm in 2023
Hired last summer to run hockey operations for the Edmonton Oilers, Jeff Jackson says he had a great working relationship with his GM Ken Holland and it was an amicable parting of the waysafter the Hall of Famer’s five years here
Holland, 68, wasn’t kicked to the curb, kicking and screaming.
“Ken and I met yesterday (Wednesday) to formalize a discussion that had been ongoing during the season,” said Jackson in a Thursday Zoom call.
“It’s not a surprise to Ken and me that we mutually decided this was the best thing. He was ready to move on. Ken and I had a great conversation for an hour yesterday…there was lots of laughs and reminiscing on what went on in the season. And now we move on.”
Holland wasn’t offered a contract extension before or after the Oilers lost in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in Florida, but, if there was no succession plan in place with anybody in particular, Jackson says Holland and he were on the same wave length during the season.
