Oilers GM Ken Holland non-committal on future after 'devastating' playoff loss

Ken Holland says he plans to see out his contract as Edmonton Oilers general manager, which enters its fifth and final year next season.

He isn't sure what comes next.

Asked Wednesday if he'd extend his commitment to the Oilers for 2024 and beyond, he said: "I can't answer that, flat out."

Holland, who was the author of four Detroit Red Wings Stanley Cup wins through the 1990s and 2000s, said he still has the hunger to do the job, but there are other factors that may influence a decision he will have to make after next season.

"I've got to judge myself, and I'm harder on myself than anybody," Holland said at a season-ending availability three days after the Oilers were eliminated from the playoffs by the Vegas Golden Knights.

"I've been here four years, I've got a year to go. I've got nine grandchildren, four children. I've still got a ton of energy, a ton of passion. But the last time I was a general manager for a Stanley Cup championship was in 2008. That's a player's lifetime.

"I would love to do that one more time."

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Throughout the press conference, Holland used the words "devastated" and "devastating" to describe the Oilers' second-round loss to the Golden Knights. He made no excuses, constantly reiterating that Vegas was the "better team" in both the regular season and the playoffs.

He believes the core, led by Hart Trophy favourite Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, is as good as the teams he had in Detroit.

"When I had Detroit, we didn't win the Cup in '94, 95, 96, but the same group of players won the Cup in '97 and '98," he said. He added that he built a strong team that was upset by the Oilers in 2006 but won it all in 2008.

"I didn't build a new team."

But