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Interviews for Edmonton Oilers GM candidates to begin soon: Nicholson

Click to play video: 'Edmonton Oilers looking for GM who can assess talent'
Edmonton Oilers looking for GM who can assess talent
WATCH ABOVE: (From Jan. 23, 2019) With Peter Chiarelli out, the search for a new Edmonton Oilers GM is on. OEG CEO Bob Nicholson said there is no timeline as to when a new GM will be named, but the team is looking for someone who can assess talent and run all parts of the hockey operations – Jan 23, 2019

Bob Nicholson is taking it all in.

The sun, the sand, and as much information as he can gather when it comes to his search for the next general manager of the Edmonton Oilers.

The CEO and vice-chair of the team’s parent company told reporters after Tuesday’s session at the NHL’s GM meetings at the Boca Beach Club that he expects to begin interviews to fill the vacancy within the next two weeks.

“I’ve really talked to a lot of people in the game,” Nicholson said.

“This has been a great opportunity for myself the last couple of days to talk to some more people.”

The Oilers fired Peter Chiarelli, who was also their president of hockey operations, on Jan. 23 and replaced him with assistant GM Keith Gretzky on an interim basis.

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READ MORE: Edmonton Oilers fire Peter Chiarelli

Watch below: Some videos from Global News’ coverage of the firing of Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli.

Edmonton, which missed the playoffs in two of Chiarelli’s three full seasons in charge, sat six points back of both wild-card spots in the Western Conference heading into Tuesday night’s action.

That despite having the game’s best player in Connor McDavid — third in NHL scoring with 92 points this season — and Leon Draisaitl, who sits second with 41 goals and is tied for fifth with 83 points.

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Watch below: Some recent video about the Edmonton Oilers.

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Chiarelli made a string of well-documented disastrous trades with the Oilers, and Nicholson said it will be imperative that the team’s next GM shows an ability to identify young talent.

“It’s about being able to draft players and select the players,” said Nicholson, the former president of Hockey Canada. “You can look at the salary cap, you can look at a lot of the other points.

“But the key right now is making sure you’re drafting right and you have the right development system in place.”

Nicholson said he’s yet to ask any other teams to speak with potential candidates as he continues identifying exactly what the Oilers need.

He added he’s liked Gretzky’s small body of work since Chiarelli was shown the door.

“I’ve been really impressed not just around trade deadline — we made a couple of trades before trade deadline — but how he’s handled the group,” Nicholson said. “He’s got the group real positive right now.”

READ MORE: Edmonton Oilers weren’t offered good deals before NHL trade deadline: Gretzky

Watch below: (From Feb. 25, 2019) Watch below: Monday’s NHL trade deadline saw a flurry of activity around the league but the Edmonton Oilers did not swing any deals. Kevin Karius has more.

Click to play video: 'Edmonton Oilers quiet as 2019 NHL trade deadline passes'
Edmonton Oilers quiet as 2019 NHL trade deadline passes

Two key pieces the next GM will have to build around are McDavid and Draisaitl.

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“It’s so great to see the way that Leon is playing right now,” Nicholson said. “He’s become just a horse now with him and Connor.”

Watch below: Some Global News videos about Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl.

“We’ve just got to make sure we get that supplementary scoring with them,” Nicholson said. “We’ve got a lot of good defence coming. So we’ve got a lot of good pieces in place. We’re certainly not going to tear it down.”

Nicholson wishes he already had his new GM in place, but knows it’s crucial the Oilers get this hire right.

“I’ve got to make sure,” he said. “That could be in the first interview. That could be in the seventh or eighth interview.

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“Hopefully I’ll know when the right person is there.”

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