The Edmonton Oilers suffered another disappointing postseason exit in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and general manager Ken Holland's end of season comments confirmed that the team is desperate to reach the pinnacle of the National Hockey League.

“We're devastated,” Holland said on Wednesday, according to NHL.com's Derek Van Diest. “I have guys in there tell me they're going to the gym next week, they're not going on vacation, they're going to work. That's what these NHL players do, they take a week off after the season and they get back to work.

There are no gifts or guarantees or entitlements because it's earned, it's sacrifice and sticking to what you believe. You believe you're good, and that's how you become the last team standing.”

The Oilers have said all of the right things after losing in six games to the Vegas Golden Knights, but they've been unable to get over the hump despite having two of the best players in the world in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

Although the core still has years left on their contracts, time is ticking for Holland; his deal expires at the end of the 2023-24 season.

“I have a year to go in my contract and for me, it's unfinished business,” the 67-year-old explained. “I plan to honor my contract. Beyond that, at this stage of my life, I don't invest in green bananas. I'm not sure if I'm going to be around long enough to see them ripen to be yellow.”

Holland has been there before; he's won four Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings, three as GM in 1998, 2002 and 2008. He was hired by the Oilers as GM and president of hockey operations in May, 2019.

He desperately wants to bring the same success he's had over his career to the city of Edmonton.

“The last time I was the general manager of a Stanley Cup championship team was 2008, that was 15 years ago, and I would love to do that one more time,” Oilers' Ken Holland said. “I think we have a group of players and a team that can make it happen.”