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New Oilers CEO Nicholson vague about potential changes to hockey ops

Bob Nicholson

Bob Nicholson

AP

Big changes could be coming to the Edmonton Oilers’ hockey operations.

Or not.

Frankly, Bob Nicholson couldn’t have been more vague after he was introduced today as the new CEO of Oilers Entertainment Group, a position that will give him “authority over all aspects of business and hockey operations” of the club, according to the press release.

Nicholson, formerly in charge of Hockey Canada, has been conducting a forensic audit of the Oilers since joining the team last June as vice chairman.

“Loyalty. Trust. Teamwork. And that’s not just with the players on the ice -- we’re going to have that through our whole organization,” Nicholson said.

“As we start to define what this organization’s going to be, we’re going to build around those words. And over the next short time we’re going to be rolling out more on where we’re taking this organization.”

He just wouldn’t say what he’d be rolling out.

Or when.

“Today, I’m not ready to do that,” he said. “I want to do it when I’m confident that we’re putting the right bricks in place to make this organization very stable for the future and go to the heights that every Oilers fan wants it to go to.”

The Oilers, of course, won Saturday’s draft lottery, giving them the right to select Connor McDavid first overall on June 26 in Florida.

Kevin Lowe is the president of Edmonton’s hockey operations.

Craig MacTavish is the general manager.

Related: So…what do the Oilers do now?