Who is Jeff Jackson? Oilers' new CEO of hockey operations linked to Connor McDavid

In a significant move, the Edmonton Oilers have announced the appointment of Jeff Jackson as their new CEO of hockey operations. The 58-year-old Jackson is quite experienced for the role, having made a name for himself as a player agent and excelling in various facets of the game over the years.

While Jackson may be best known for his work as a player agent, his journey in the hockey world began as a player himself. The Toronto Maple Leafs drafted him in the second round of the 1983 NHL Draft. He then played 263 games as a left winger for several teams, including the Leafs, Quebec Nordiques, New York Rangers, and Chicago Blackhawks.

Following his playing career, Jackson transitioned into the management side of hockey. He served as the assistant general manager for the Maple Leafs from 2006 to 2010, during which he also took on the role of general manager for the Leafs' AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. This experience provided valuable insight into the inner workings of an NHL organization and helped shape his future endeavors.

In 2010, Jackson founded his own player agency, starting with Sam Gagner as his first client. Over the years, he honed his skills as an agent and developed strong relationships within the hockey community.

Thanks to these connections, Jackson become a partner at Orr Hockey Group and later played a pivotal role in building Wasserman Hockey, a prominent agency representing some of the biggest names in the NHL, including Oilers superstar Connor McDavid and Leafs sensation Auston Matthews.

Now, as the Oilers' new CEO of hockey operations, Jackson will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of Oilers Entertainment Group's NHL, AHL, and WHL operations. This means he will have direct involvement in the management and decision-making processes for the Edmonton Oilers, their AHL affiliate Bakersfield Condors, and their WHL affiliate Edmonton Oil Kings. Jackson will work closely with Oilers general manager Ken Holland, who will report directly to him.

Oilers owner and chairman Daryl Katz expressed his confidence in Jackson's abilities, saying:

"This is a big commitment ... [Jackson] has well-established relationships ... with Ken Holland. He brings tremendous industry insight, knowledge, and leadership ... will work closely with Ken and our whole team to put the Oilers in the best possible position to win."

Jeff Jackson had been Connor McDavid's representative

Interestingly, before assuming his new role as CEO of hockey operations, Jeff Jackson had been Connor McDavid's representative at Wasserman Hockey. Jackson was in charge of the talks that resulted in McDavid's eight-year, $100-million contract extension, which McDavid signed in 2017.

Despite the shift in Jackson's responsibilities, McDavid will remain at Wasserman, now being represented by agent Judd Moldaver. The superstar center has three seasons left on his contract, carrying a substantial $12.5 million annual average value (AAV).

In response to the leadership change, McDavid shared his thoughts, saying:

"Jeff and I have had a long and fruitful relationship ... I'm excited about this next chapter for me and to continue to be represented by Wasserman ... with Judd Moldaver as my agent and Adam Phillips, my longtime manager, handling day-to-day matters."

Now the Oilers will move forward to secure the Stanley Cup championship with Jackson at the helm of their hockey operations.