Stan Bowman Walks Into A Stanley Cup Favorite...Again

On Wednesday, the Edmonton Oilers made a controversial decision, by hiring former Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman. Currently, the Oilers are favored in the Stanley Cup odds at +850, marking the second time Bowman has inherited a Cup favorite. 

It's infuriating Bowman returns as a GM considering he failed to report an assault on a player while GM of the Blackhawks and because he did very little in building the Hawks into Cup champions.

2024-25 Stanley Cup Odds

Odds as of July 24

It's Happening, Again

In 2009, Bowman stepped up from assistant to full-time GM in Chicago. Going into the 2009-10 NHL season, the Blackhawks held the third-best odds at +1000. As we all know, they went on to win the Cup that year. As well as winning the Cup in 2013 and 2015.

It's because of those three championships that the Edmonton hired Bowman. But look, outside of being in the GM's chair what did Bowman really do to win those Cups?

Kane, Toews, Keith and Seabrook (the core of those Cup teams) were already there and mostly signed. Kane and Toews were signed to lucrative long-term deals days before Bowman was hired. What did Bowman directly do in building those teams? 

Edmonton Oilers Ready To Win It All

Now look at the Oilers roster. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm are all around. Viktor Arvidsson was signed to an excellent two-year $8 million contract in the 2024 free agency window.

The core is there already. And the pieces Edmonton needed (upgrades in the top nine) have been acquired. What does Bowman have to do with this roster?

Nothing. This roster is set up for him to succeed. If you weren't infuriated about Bowman being reinstated by the league you should be infuriated by the opportunities he continues to receive.

When you think about it, the Oilers and Bowman seem like perfect partners. Both are willing to overlook something to win a Stanley Cup.