Jeff Jackson doesn't need to hire a new General Manager for the Edmonton Oilers.
Jeff Jackson doesn't need to hire a new General Manager for the Edmonton Oilers.
EDMONTON -- Jeff Jackson should put down the phone.
Unless he's calling about a trade or talking with one of the Edmonton Oilers' two RFAs.
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The "interim" General Manager has pulled off one of the most remarkable first day of free agency that this organization has seen in a long time. Here is the list of players that he signed (or re-signed) on July 1st:
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*Total: 13 players, $19,287,500. Perry has $250,000 of performance bonuses and Josh Brown's salary is $25,000 higher for his first year.
That's a lot of tidy business for a rookie GM.
This is one of the ways that a former player agent can make a great GM for an NHL team. They know the business side of the game like anyone else. They understand the give-and-take of contract negotiations.
That's why Jackson needs to stop picking up the phone to interview GM candidates. Jackson himself should be the GM of the Oilers.
Although he has come out saying that he doesn't want the job and has no intention of taking it on - he should strongly reconsider.
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He wants the best person for the job. He wants someone with experience to take on the mantle and spearhead the Leon Draisaitl contract extension negotiations. Frankly speaking, he's more than qualified to take on the position.
Instead, he can take on the role of GM. After that, hire more people to advise and take on different roles that fall under a GM's job description that he doesn't want to do. Or he can assign those tasks to current Assistant General Managers.
One way or another, Jackson can delegate the GM tasks he doesn't want to do while executing trades and signings on behalf of the organization.
It might not be what he wants to do. But, in his short time as acting GM he's proven that he's more than capable.
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