The moment Stan Bowman was officially announced as the new general manager of the Edmonton Oilers, a large contingent of fans made it clear they were not in support of the move. Citing second chances might not apply to someone who looked the other way (or at least didn’t do his part to make it known that something wasn’t right) in a sexual abuse situation, many fans have also pointed to Bowman’s less-than-stellar track record of trades and signings in his final years in Chicago. Some minds will never be changed, but is there anything Bowman can do to win a huge chunk of his detractors over?

Bowman said he understands some of the opinions out there about him and that everyone is entitled to feel how they feel. All he can do is try to show he’s learned and prove he’s gained valuable experience from being ousted from the NHL for two years. Sheldon Kennedy said Bowman needs to walk the walk, which is true. Here are a few things that might help him gain a bit of positive momentum.

Get Leon Draisaitl Signed to a Team-Friendly Contract
Leon Draisaitl is eligible to sign an extension at any point now. On July 1 he could have locked in on a new short or long-term deal, committing to Edmonton and taking care of one huge piece of business. Since he didn’t do so before Bowman was hired, the new GM will now take the lead on negotiations.

If Bowman can finalize a deal with Draisaitl that would see fans elated over the term and dollar figure. For example, insiders have Draisaitl pegged at eight years and between $13.5 and $14 million. If Bowman could somehow get that term under $13, that would go a long way in the eyes of the fans.

Perhaps that isn’t realistic and maybe the number is already set. Still, all parties can find a reasonable extension and Bowman can be front and center if the Oilers want to make it seem like he did most of the work. On the other hand, if a Draisaitl deal is a high number and for only four years, that doesn’t help Bowman’s case at all.

Sign a Couple of Savvy PTOs
The Oilers have almost always brought in a player or two on PTOs. It typically doesn’t lead to much and in recent seasons, there have been some questions about the names Edmonton has invited. Brandon Sutter was part of the process last season but he was coming off of a lengthy absence from the NHL. The year before that, Edmonton did well to land Adam Erne. In 2022, it was Jake Virtanen, who had his own controversial history with sexual misconduct allegations.

If Edmonton can find a useful player on a PTO that can actually help the team and doesn’t come with baggage, that would be good. The Oilers need to steer clear of second-chance projects for a while. Go with someone who has a positive track record in the NHL but just hasn’t signed anywhere yet.

Get Out in the Community And Serve
The final thing Bowman can do, and perhaps the most important, is get out in the Edmonton community and show he’s looking to make a positive difference. Some fans will call it a facade and others will say it takes continued appearances before they really believe he’s being genuine, but that’s not something he should be worried about. His job is to consistently be a beacon for positive change and learning when it comes to hockey culture and safety. As much as it’s negative that he did what he did and was linked to the Kyle Beach situation in the manner he was, Bowman needs to learn from his mistakes. And, whether he gets applauded for the work he does or not, he needs to keep doing it.

With time, fans will come to see that he’s not just saying things to say them.