Oilers' Stan Bowman Makes Major Announcement about sordid past in Chicago

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Joshua Deeds
July 25, 2024 (10:44)

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The Edmonton Oilers and Jeff Jackson have made a GM hire today, which is Stan Bowman.

Bowman oversaw the team Dale Tallon constructed and rode and molded it to his design as time persisted.

The team would secure three Stanley Cups during their dynastic run and would be legends in the Windy City, as Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews are forever etched in the memories of fans in Chicago.

However, that past would be tarnished by the actions of many, where Brad Aldrich would commit SA against Kyle Beach and of course escape justice.

Stan Bowman said he called Kyle Beach last night to give him a heads-up that he was being hired. Called it "an encouraging conversation."

Stan Bowman and Joel Quenneville, along with other executives in the organization have their share of blame when it comes to the whole incident.

However, since his reinstatement he wanted to come back to the game of hockey. Now, he has found a new home and has claimed to have done the work necessary to understand his failures.

He even reached out to Kyle Beach, in order to make amends to Beach:

Bowman: "My response was inadequate back in 2010. I didn't handle things properly. I should have done more. And that's something I regret, and it's something I've had a chance to reflect on and try to learn from."

Bowman said he's said as much to Kyle Beach.

Who knows what will happen from here on out, as while the conversation with Beach may be encouraging, will he make the same mistakes again?

«Let me be very clear � what happened to Kyle Beach in 2010 was wrong. It was horrible,» Jackson said Wednesday. «It wasn't handled properly at the time. 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, to try to learn. He's done a lot of work with Sheldon Kennedy, who's one of the foremost experts in the field of abuse, sexual and otherwise.»

It is easy to rest on your laurels and as the GM of one of the biggest organizations in the NHL, you have to be on your "A" game always, especially when someone like Wayne Gretzky called you out, before your hire.

Words are words, but as anyone knows actions are what make them a reality.

Source: Sportsnet
New Oilers GM Stan Bowman: 'My response was inadequate back in 2010'