'Great off-season for the Oilers': Hockey world thrilled with Edmonton Oilers interim GM Jeff Jackson

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The praise keeps coming for Edmonton Oilers (interim) GM Jeff Jackson, with 90 per cent of fans in a Cult of Hockey poll approving of his most recent trade for hockey prospect Matthew Savoie.

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On July 1, Jackson hit homes runs signing numerous useful veteran players, including Adam Henrique, Mattias Janmark and  Connor Brown, to discount contracts, as well as bringing in Top 6 forwards Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson on value contracts. The moves earned Jackson widespread praise around the hockey world, but now we get more of the same after Jackson’s trade of Ryan McLeod for Savoie.

Here are some of the highlights:

Former AHL and pro scout Shawn Simpson
Jeff Jackson is looking like the modern day Pierre Lacroix, as he transitions from the agent side. The only difference is Jax spent time in the Leafs front office. I worked with him and he’s such a sharp and level headed guy. It’s been a great off season for the Oilers.

Daily Hive sports reporter Preston Hodgkinson
The Oilers could hire a new GM tomorrow and win the Stanley Cup and I still think Jeff Jackson would win the GM of the Year Award

Edmonton sportswriter Shane Jones
Ok, I’m absolutely convinced that Jeff Jackson and the group around him should keep doing what they are doing. It’s been nothing but home runs all week, including this McLeod trade. I don’t want someone new coming in and trying to make it look like they are doing something.

World Hockey Report
Jeff Jackson, if you see this please make yourself Oilers GM. Thank you.

Hockey writer Scott Wheeler of The Athletic
Really nice offseason in Edmonton for Jeff Jackson.

Edmonton sports radio producer Connor Halley
I wonder if Jeff Jackson has this cool “I don’t even wanna be here” vibe when he’s negotiating contracts and trades, and it’s really appealing to the other side?

Oilers fan Captain Jack 🏴‍☠️ @OilersJack
Starting to look like Jeff Jackson’s worst move as GM is going to be when he hires a GM

NHL podcaster Peter Blackburn of the What Chaos show.
The Oilers are having an outrageous offseason.

WHL hockey scout Dan Tencer
Retained every UFA he wanted to, all on bargain deals. Improved a Cup Final roster with additional impact UFA signings at bargain deals. Improved the prospect pool by trading into the 1st round of draft and acquiring Matt Savoie. Action Jackson.”

Oilers blogger Matt Henderson
Jeff Jackson has thoroughly blown me away. I don’t even know how you have the balls to ASK for Matt Savoie when discussing trades like this…I guess when you hire a former agent to run your hockey club they have a pretty good idea who the stupidest GMs are.

My take

1. There as no place for such massive public commentary on the Internet in 2005 when Oilers GM Kevin Lowe traded for Chris Pronger and Mike Peca, but it’s safe to say this is the most positive that the hockey world and Oilers fans have been about an Edmonton hockey boss since that time.

2. It’s not that Jackson has acquired superstar talent in a trade, it’s that he appears to have won almost every major deal in terms of building up the Stanley Cup chances of the Edmonton Oilers. Whereas past GMs seemed to give up just a bit too much in each trade, or in each contract, Jackson has done the opposite. Players are giving up salary and/or term to buy into Edmonton’s success. And in order to meet Buffalo’s burning need to bring in a veteran forward, Action Jackson was able to acquire a player that meets Edmonton’s own need for a high-end prospect forward on a low-cost contract.

3. Perhaps Jackson is greatly benefitting from Edmonton’s superior position, which makes it easier for him to sell some sacrifice to players if they want to be part of Edmonton’s Stanley Cup quest. Perhaps that explains why he’s done better than previous GMs.

Or maybe Jackson is a brilliant persuader, able to get people to buy in to what he’s selling far more successfully than previous GMs.

Whatever the case, he’s had an outstanding off-season, the best in twenty years in Edmonton.

At the Cult of Hockey

STAPLES: Rave reviews for McLeod trade

STAPLES: Brown and Janmark accept major paycut to play in Edmonton

STAPLES: ‘You just can’t snap your fingers and move out Evander Kane’: Edmonton Oilers insider

STAPLES: Secret weapon helps Edmonton Oilers convince top players to sign and stay here