‘I don’t think he gets enough recognition’: Oilers GM Stan Bowman talks Kris Knoblauch, Skinner, and meeting McDavid

When Stan Bowman was hired as the 11th general manager in Edmonton Oilers history last summer, it didn’t seem like he had a lot of work to do.

The hiring itself came in late July, a while after the dust had settled on a busy free agent period in which the Oilers were certainly busy. A few players left in free agency, a few more were traded, many were brought back and some fresh faces were hoping to help push the team to where they are now: the brink of the Stanley Cup Finals.

But it didn’t take long for his work to be cut out for him, having to navigate the rough waters of dual offer sheets, and the fallout of it. Oh yeah, then he still had to ink Leon Draisaitl to his long-term deal which will keep him in Edmonton for a long, long time.

He inherited his head coach, Kris Knoblauch, as well as a roster that had been a decade in the making. One of his first orders of business, though? Going to meet Connor McDavid.

“The first time I talked to Connor, I went to see him in the summer after I started, and all he talked about was, ‘I just want to win the Cup.’ That was it,” Bowman said Tuesday during the Stanley Cup Final media day. “We didn’t talk about anything else. This is his singular focus. He’s accomplished everything he could accomplish individually in this sport.

“He continues to dazzle us every game, every round, (and) makes a difference. Incredibly motivated and driven to win. You run out of superlatives to talk about him as a player and describe what he does on the ice. I think the thing that’s equally impressive is the way he is driving our team with his determination. There’s no one else you want to go to battle with than someone like that. He’s our leader. Not only is he impressive with what he can do on the ice, but his focus in driving us.

“You could see how bad he wanted it last year when it didn’t go Edmonton’s way in Game 7. Right now, he’s on a mission. I think as much as you get excited when you win, I think I’ve noticed it from even the first round, the second round, even in Dallas, he’s still very focused on, ‘We need four more wins.'”

And while Bowman inherited his coach — something that often comes with a shorter lived life for anyone behind the bench as general managers like to get “their guy” in at signs of struggles — there’s no indication of that being the case here.

In fact, Bowman has been impressed with Knoblauch’s ability to maneouver difficult situations his club faces.

“I was watching from afar last year, I was impressed with Kris, just his knowledge of the game and the way he explained things,” Bowman said. “Then I got a chance to meet him when I got here, and I’ve been incredibly impressed with his job as the coach. I don’t think he gets enough recognition for the way that he’s managed this group through this season.

“It’s been a challenging year at times with injuries, and Kris has been able to manage that group and keep things on track all year long. I think he’s done a great job. I’m really impressed with the way that he handles our players as well as makes adjustments. I think we wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for the job that Kris and the whole staff has done. They’ve done a tremendous job this year.

“I’ve really enjoyed working with them and can’t wait to keep it going.”

Though Bowman inherited the team and much of the roster, he’s made moves that have significantly impacted this roster. Look no further than the trade deadline acquisition of defenceman Jake Walman, a revelation on the Oilers’ blue line with his smooth ability to transport the puck and move it up the ice.

While Bowman’s time in Edmonton has been short — a month and a half short of hitting a full-year — the moves he’s made have been impactful, Knoblauch said.

” You think about the way our team has played, especially our defence, (they’ve) been great at moving the park, especially with the additions that we’ve had,” he said. “Stan had the knowledge to know what we needed and the possibility to have that depth come in at an important time in the season. Were we ever prepared to lose Ekholm? We didn’t want to do that, obviously, but we were able to play really well as a group because of the addition of like, Walman and Klingberg, the two of them.

“Stetcher played incredibly well when we needed them. But I think going back to just the additions of Stan added… of just not having a player that defends and doesn’t just avoid trouble. We’re able to get the puck in our (forwards) hands because we feel our strength is obviously McDavid, Leon, our identity is just being a good puck moving team. If you don’t have the defensemen that can make those good plays and pass the puck up to the forwards, you’re not a puck moving team.”

Bowman faced lots of pressure to make other moves during the season, too.

Many had hoped the team would look to add to the forward group in a big way, taking an unsuccessful swing on Mikko Rantanen, despite getting “well down the path of an extension” with the winger who would land in Dallas, inking a eight-year, $12-million AAV deal. He would pivot to acquiring Trent Frederic, who now has a chance to make an impact in a big way in this Cup final.

One area where Bowman didn’t waver despite the public pressure was between the pipes — sticking with the duo of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard, both of whom have contributed in a big way to the Oilers’ playoff success.

When it came to Skinner, in particular, Bowman never lost his belief in the 26-year-old, instead highlighting how much like any other player on the ice, mistakes happen, and how the netminders ability to move not get down has impressed him.

“He has a good demeanour for a goalie, he’s a pretty easygoing guy, and it’s the toughest position in sports, probably, with the attention that they get,” he said. “You look up and down the lineup, and everyone makes mistakes. Forwards do, defensemen do. When the goalie does, then everyone pays attention. A lot of times, a forward will make a terrible play, and you don’t even talk about it because it gets broken up by a defenceman or the goalie makes a save.

I think you have to have that ability to shrug things off. He’s a very even-keeled guy. So, yeah, he’s had some ups and downs. I think people focus probably more on the downs and the ups.

“He started in L.A., and our team wasn’t very good the first couple of games either. We didn’t give him much help, and he wasn’t on top of his game either, but he was able to shrug that off, and he came back in, and we wouldn’t be here without him, the way he’s played. I think a lot of the goaltending is the mentality because mistakes happen, goals are going to happen nearly every game, and the ability to deal with that adversity I think, has been impressive.”

Now, Skinner, McDavid and Knoblauch will look to do their part in brining the Stanley Cup back to Edmonton for the first time since 1990.