Oilers add Nicholson to executive suite
Nicholson vice-chairman of new company
With a new arena under construction and a stable of sports franchises to run, the Edmonton Oilers recruited a big-name free agent to oversee yet another arm of the organization.
Bob Nicholson was ushered in on Friday as the vicechairman of the Oilers’ new sports and entertainment company, which puts him second-in-command behind owner Daryl Katz. He’ll work alongside Kevin Lowe, who remains in charge of the hockey operations, under the umbrella of the Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG).
Nicholson left his post as president and CEO of Hockey Canada in May, after helping to grow the amateur organization into a powerful brand. He inherits an NHL franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2006.
“We are all together on this. The team has to get better, and it will get better,” Nicholson said on Friday. “Yes, I had other (organizations) express interest, but when I started to talk to Daryl, I said I know what Hockey Canada was when I started, and I know where this organization is today. There are huge challenges, but I think there could be something very special in this city.”
The Katz Group owns the Oilers, the Western Hockey League’s Edmonton Oil Kings, the American Hockey League’s Oklahoma City Barons, the ECHL’s Bakersfield Condors, the Aquila Productions television/film outfit and the mothballed Edmonton Capitals baseball franchise.
There is also the construction of the new arena to oversee, after which there will be dates to be filled when the downtown showcase opens in September 2016.
“He’s as passionate about fixing the Oilers as we all are, and I embrace his leadership and involvement in the organization,” Lowe said. “Patrick (LaForge, president and COO of OEG) and I have joked about this, we’re both going to be tugging on him. There’s lots going on with the Oilers Entertainment Group. ... We need more executive horsepower.
“We’re just very fortunate on the hockey side that we’ll be able to tap into Bob.”
Nicholson has long had ties to the Oilers. Katz lent Hockey Canada his private plane to ferry players to Vancouver prior to the 2010 Winter Olympics, Lowe has been tied to the Olympic program for 14 years and several Oilers, past and present, have been involved, including Wayne Gretzky, who ran the 2002 Olympic team in Salt Lake City.
Former assistant general manager Kevin Prendergast served as chief scout for Canada’s under-20 and under-18 teams.
Nicholson said it was his ties with Lowe that helped facilitate his decision to work with the Oilers over his other suitors.
“It became very clear this was the place I wanted to be because I think there’s huge growth here,” said Nicholson, whose legacy with Hockey Canada is the world juniors and Program of Excellence.
He started on the hockey side, in an organization that had 23 staff, then moved into the business side as the staff grew to number 127.
“I really see a little bit of the same model here. We want this to be a lot bigger organization, but we want it to be world-class sport and entertainment. That vision is there; we just need to get more clarity. It’s going to take some time, but we’ll get there as a group.
“Right now, the building downtown is the No. 1 priority, but there’s going to be a lot of pieces we’re going to add to that.”
Nicholson will stay on as vice-president of the International Ice Hockey Federation until 2016, and he plans to use those connections to improve any and all opportunities for the organization. In 2012, Edmonton and Calgary played host to the most successful world junior championship.
The Oilers will also tap into his hockey acumen, a process that has already begun. Earlier this week, Nicholson sat in on the team’s scouting meetings.
“When I look at (the arena) it’s going to change the downtown,” said Nicholson. “It’s great the Oilers are going to play out of here, but it’s going to be so much bigger than that. If we can utilize that facility in the proper manner, it’s going to change day-today lives in Edmonton. I get really excited about that.”