New Oilers CEO, Connor McDavid's now-former agent, wants to keep NHL superstar an 'Oiler for life'

Oilers hire Jeff Jackson as CEO The Edmonton Oilers hired Connor McDavid's former agent as the team's CEO.

Hiring his agent to run the Edmonton Oilers doesn't guarantee Connor McDavid will sign a contract extension with the NHL team.

At least not yet.

Jeff Jackson, who the Oilers announced Thursday as their new chief executive officer to replace Bob Nicholson, said winning would be the biggest factor in convincing hockey's biggest superstar to sign a contract that would keep him as an "Oiler for life," in Edmonton for many years to come. McDavid has three years remaining on his current contract.

"They’re all striving to win," Jackson said at a press conference to introduce him as the team's top executive, referencing the core group of players surrounding McDavid, including Leon Draisaitl, Darnell Nurse and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. "That’s going to be the biggest driver, and of course, I have a very close relationship with Connor. It’s going to be a different relationship now, but I think ultimately, the goal is to keep this core group together. I think there’s a lot of runway for success for a number of years."

The Oilers are coming off a second straight season of 100 or more points in the regular-season standings and a second-round playoff loss to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights. McDavid, Draisaitl and Nugent-Hopkins all collected 100-plus points each, with McDavid and Draisaitl finishing first and second, respectively, in league scoring.

Jackson, who worked as an assistant general manager for the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2006-10, had been McDavid's agent since the three-time Hart Trophy winner as the NHL's most valuable player was 15 years old and playing his first year of junior hockey.

He said he was approached by Oilers owner Daryl Katz and his advisor Paul Coffey, himself an Oilers and NHL legend, before June's NHL Draft about taking over from Nicholson, who had been CEO of the Oilers Entertainment Group since 2014 and who will remain with the club in an advisory role.

"It’s a unique opportunity," said the 58-year-old Jackson, a former defenceman who toiled for four NHL teams over an eight-year hockey career in the 1980s and early '90s before obtaining a law degree. "I don’t think I would have gone anywhere else. I wasn’t looking to leave the agent business. I was at an awesome agency in Wasserman ... The fact that Connor was involved and the team that Kenny has put together is on the verge of I think some great things (played a part in his decision.) I talked to Connor about it, and he said, 'I think you should talk to (Katz). I think you'd be great at the job, so you do what you have to do, I am coming with you.'"

Wasserman Hockey executive vice-president Judd Moldaver takes over as McDavid's agent.

Ken Holland, the Oilers' president and general manager, said adding Jackson to the team's executive could be a boon for the team given his extensive agency experience.

"When you're an agent, you talk to 32 general managers," said Holland. "He has a real understanding of how 32 teams operate. So I think Jeff's going to bring a lot of information to the Edmonton Oilers and to our hockey (operations) department."