Oilers GM has 'unfinished business' after exit from Stanley Cup Playoffs

EDMONTON -- Ken Holland said he is "devastated" by the Edmonton Oilers' loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Second Round.

The general manager repeated the sentiment in his season-ending media availability after the Oilers fell short of their goal of winning the Stanley Cup.

"That's why it's the Stanley Cup, it's hard (to win)," Holland said Wednesday. "We're there, we're banging away, we're pushing. Our guys came out here and they're devastated. I'm devastated, the fan base is devastated. Why are we devastated? Because we went 14-0-1 heading into the (Stanley Cup) Playoffs.

"We're devastated. I have guys in there tell me they're going to the gym next week, they're not going on vacation, they're going to work. That's what these NHL players do, they take a week off after the season and they get back to work. There are no gifts or guarantees or entitlements because it's earned, it's sacrifice and sticking to what you believe. You believe you're good, and that's how you become the last team standing."

Holland believes the Oilers are Stanley Cup contenders and wants to see them break through entering the last of his five-year contract. Edmonton finished second in the Pacific Division (50-23-9), winning 50 games for the first time since 1986-87.

The Oilers defeated the Los Angeles Kings in the first round, then lost in six games to Vegas, who will face the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final. Game 1 is of that best-of-7 series is Friday (8:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, CBC, SN, TVAS).

"I have a year to go in my contract and for me, it's unfinished business," Holland, 67, said. "I plan to honor my contract. Beyond that, at this stage of my life, I don't invest in green bananas. I'm not sure if I'm going to be around long enough to see them ripen to be yellow."

The Oilers have captain Connor McDavid under contract for the next three seasons and forward Leon Draisaitl for the next two. They are returning the core of the team with bottom-six forwards Derek Ryan, Mattias Janmark, Devin Shore and Nick Bjugstad set to become unrestricted free agents July 1.

Forwards Ryan McLeod and Klim Kostin will be restricted free agents, as will defenseman Evan Bouchard, who had 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) in the playoffs, which leads all defensemen.

"I think the key pieces, for the most part, are here or we have to grow some younger people," Holland said. "We've got to go through all this process and put ourselves back in this position a year from now and try again and keep trying.

"In my opinion, we've got a [heck] of a hockey team, most players in that locker room are in the prime of their career, so it's not like we're going away, this team is not an old team. The core is at the prime of their career and I feel good that some of the younger players have started to pitch in, in a bigger way than they maybe did two years ago, but that's evolution, that's growth, that's a good thing."

Signing Bouchard and McLeod will be top priorities for Holland in the offseason.

Bouchard had 40 points (eight goals, 32 assists) in 82 games during the regular season and runs the power play, which was the best in NHL history during the regular season, converting at 32.4 percent and increased to 46.2 percent in the playoffs.

McLeod had 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in 57 games during the regular season and five assists in 12 playoff games.

"Everybody is dealing with the [salary] cap, so we're not dealing with anything that anybody else isn't," Holland said. "Is it a challenge? Yeah, but that's my job, to try to build the best team you can within the cap system. I think it's been great for the National Hockey League, because there was a time when only six, seven, eight or nine teams could win the Stanley Cup, and now anybody that makes the playoffs can win the Stanley Cup, so it's added to a competitive balance."

Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020, Holland is looking to add another Stanley Cup championship to his impressive resume. He won four times with the Detroit Red Wings, one as assistant GM under Jim Devellano (1997) and three as GM (1998, 2002, 2008).

Holland was hired by the Oilers as GM and president of hockey operations May 7, 2019, to fill the position left vacant when Peter Chiarelli was fired Jan. 22, 2019.

"The last time I was the general manager of a Stanley Cup championship team was 2008, that was 15 years ago, and I would love to do that one more time," Holland said. "I think we have a group of players and a team that it can happen, but it just doesn't happen."