Edmonton Oilers Hire Jeff Jackson as CEO of Hockey Operations

Jeff Jackson is the new CEO of hockey operations for the Edmonton Oilers after being a player agent for 13 years, the club announced Thursday.

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The Edmonton Oilers hired player agent Jeff Jackson as their CEO of hockey operations, the team announced Thursday.

Jackson will oversee all aspects of OEG Sports and Entertainment's NHL, AHL and WHL operations, which includes the Oilers, AHL Bakersfield Condors and WHL Edmonton Oil Kings, according to a team release.

The 58-year-old launched what is now Wasserman Hockey in 2010 and represented 20 NHL players, including Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Detroit Red Wings winger Alex DeBrincat, and Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad, according to PuckPedia.

Before that, Jackson played professional hockey from 1985 to 1992, including recording 86 points in 263 NHL games between the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Quebec Nordiques and Chicago Blackhawks. He then practised corporate and entertainment law before joining the Maple Leafs as an assistant GM and director of hockey operations from 2006 to 2010.

“I can’t think of a more exciting franchise to join or a better opportunity for me to put into practice everything I have learned during the past three decades in and around the NHL,” said Jackson in the release. “Daryl Katz, Ken Holland, Bob Nicholson, Jay Woodcroft and the entire group have built an outstanding foundation for success. I’m privileged to join Daryl, Ken and the entire Oilers staff in the pursuit of a Stanley Cup championship in the short term and in realizing the full and exceptional potential of the entire organization in the long term.

“This is a big commitment to the long-term success of our organization,” OEG Inc. owner and chairman Daryl Katz said in a statement. “(Jackson) brings tremendous industry insight, knowledge and leadership built through a unique career experience that is ideal for this leadership role at OEGSE.”

Holland remains the GM and president of hockey operations, and he'll now report to Jackson.

“Jeff is highly respected across the NHL and brings unique experience as a former player, assistant general manager and, most recently, as one of the most influential agents in the business,” said Holland in the release. “It is a real coup for Oilers fans to have Jeff join the organization, and I look forward to working closely with him as we continue our drive for a Stanley Cup.”

McDavid said Jackson has “care, relentlessness and obvious knowledge of the game and industry.” As Jackson moves to this new role, McDavid announced Judd Moldaver will be his new agent.

The Oilers finished second in their division for the fourth straight season in 2022-23, getting to the Western Conference final in 2021-22 before losing in the second round this past post-season. The Condors, meanwhile, finished fifth in the AHL's Pacific Division but lost their best-of-three first-round series 2-0 to the Abbotsford Canucks. In the WHL, the Oil Kings finished 22nd and last in the regular season with a 10-54-4-0 record.