Oilers Fine With Losing Steve Staios Amidst Senators Rumors

As per a recent tweet by TSN 1260’s Oil Stream Podcast co-host Tom Gazzola, “I discussed on The Oil Stream over the past couple of weeks, Michael Andlauer buying the Sens could change how the Oilers have to handle their succession plan for GM. Steve Staios & Andlauer were together with the Hamilton Bulldogs. Staios could jump to OTT.” But, according to current general manager Ken Holland, the Oilers as an organization won’t be jumping through any hoops to keep Staios on board, if the Senators want him and Staios is thinking about moving over.

As @nielsonTSN1260 & I discussed on The Oil Stream over the past couple of weeks, Michael Andlauer buying the Sens could change how the Oilers have to handle their succession plan for GM. Steve Staios & Andlauer were together with the Hamilton Bulldogs. Staios could jump to OTT. https://t.co/ZJv01MLLFm

— Tom Gazzola (@TomGazzola) June 13, 2023

In the ever-evolving landscape of professional sports, it’s not uncommon for talented individuals to seek new opportunities and challenges elsewhere. As Holland pointed out during an interview with Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic, he’s seen people move on, specifically when he was with the Detroit Red Wings, where notable figures such as Steve Yzerman, Jim Nill, and Mike Babcock had departed in pursuit of greener pastures. Red Wings’ owner, Chris Ilitch, understood and respected the ambitions of his personnel, acknowledging that holding them back would be unfair and Holland feels the same way.

On the flip side, while he’d likely prefer to keep him around if Staios leaves, there is an opportunity for growth within the organization, noted Holland. Such vacancies attract individuals from other teams who aspire to advance their careers in the industry. While there has been speculation regarding Staio’s potential move to Ottawa, following the recent purchase of the Senators by Andlauer, Holland has not engaged in discussions with Staios about the matter. His current focus lies on the offseason preparations for the Edmonton Oilers.

Holland noted that he has no intentions of moving key pieces of his executive team around to cater to Staios, should there be an offer on the table from the Senators. He noted:

“Because Steve came in here late (last offseason), he did some player development for us. He pitched in in the OHL (scouting). But in key areas (for assistant GMs), pro scouting is Brad Holland, running Bakersfield is Keith Gretzky and administration (the cap) is Bill Scott. We’ve got to keep people in place.

Holland added that his plan is to figure things out but not right now because this is his busy time of year. He noted, “We’ll see what the future brings. I’ve never really worried about that. There are lots of good people in the business. People move around. They come and they go.”

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