Doug Wilson Steps Down as Sharks GM

Doug Wilson announced that he has stepped down as GM of the San Jose Sharks.

Big changes are coming to the Sharks' front office. 

On Thursday, the San Jose Sharks announced that Doug Wilson will be stepping down as team general manager, a role he has held for the past 19 seasons. 

Wilson had already begun to step back from the rigors of NHL life this season, taking an indefinite leave of absence from his day-to-day duties running the Sharks back in November, with Sharks assistant GM Joe Will taking over his duties for the time being. 

The Sharks announced shortly thereafter that the team will begin an extensive search for Wilson's full-time replacement.

"These past 19 years serving as general manager of the San Jose Sharks have been a privilege and one of the most fulfilling and enjoyable periods of my life," said Wilson in a statement released upon his announcement. 

"I have been incredibly fortunate to work for and with some of the most talented and passionate people in the game of hockey"

While the Sharks have taken a step back in recent years, Wilson's tenure with the team will still largely be defined by the incredible regular-season success the team experienced throughout his stewardship. 

Wilson helped guide the Sharks to the playoffs in 14 of his 19 years at the helm, including 10 straight seasons, and saw them make five trips to the Western Conference Final, and one trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2015, where the Sharks would ultimately fall to the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Wilson was also known for his aggressiveness on the trade market, brokering deals to acquire superstar players such as Erik Karlsson, Danny Heatly, Joe Thornton, Brent Burns, and Dan Boyle. 

"I want to personally thank Doug for his 19 seasons as general manager of the San Jose Sharks," said Sharks owner Hasso Plattner in a statement. 

"Doug and his staff produced remarkable results over a span that very few NHL teams can match, highlighted by our 2016 Stanley Cup run. Doug has been an integral part of this franchise since the team's inception in 1991, and his impact - on and off the ice - will continue to be felt long into the future. Doug, and his wife Kathy, will always have a place as members of the Sharks family."