Former defenseman Steve Staios returns to Oilers in an advisor role

He’s heading home, Oilers Nation.

The Edmonton Oilers announced that Steve Staios has joined the club as a special advisor to the hockey operations staff.

The role will focus on player development. Additionally, Staios has left his job as president and GM of the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs.

Staios played 1,001 games over 16 years with Edmonton, Calgary, Atlanta, Vancouver, Boston and the New York Islanders. He’s remembered the most for his eight-season run with the Oilers, helping the team advance to the Stanley Cup Final in 2006.

Since retiring in 2012, Staios has remained active in hockey, working in a player development role with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2012-15. In 2015-16, he took over as president of the Bulldogs and held a dual GM/president role from 2016-22.

With the Bulldogs, he won two OHL championships in 2018 and 2022 and is the reigning GM of the Year.

Steve’s son, Nathan, was crucial to that 2022 championship-winning Bulldogs team. Staios recently signed an entry-level contract with the Florida Panthers after going undrafted.

Staios is also notable for being part of the first trade between Calgary and Edmonton. In 2010, the Oilers sent him to their Albertan rival in exchange for Aaron Johnson and a 2011 third-round pick.

Staios is also one of just a handful of players of Macedonian descent to play in the NHL. Ed Jovanovski, Jose Theodore, Chris and Brandon Tanev, and Steven Stamkos are some of the other notables.