Sharks Sports & Entertainment, the ownership group behind the Sharks, issued a statement on the teams website this morning regarding the disappointing season they had this year.
STATEMENT FROM THE OWNERSHIP GROUP OF SHARKS SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT:
“The on-ice results of our team this season are not acceptable to our fans, our organization or our ownership group. We will not lower our expectation that every San Jose Sharks team we put on the ice is capable of winning the Stanley Cup. Despite the fact that our team has experienced a tremendous amount of success over the past eight seasons, we are not satisfied with those results and neither is Doug. The ownership group has confidence that Doug will make the necessary changes to ensure our club remains among the NHL’s elite franchises.”
The statement was in regards to team General Manager Doug Wilson. Wilson has been at the helm since May 2003, and while he has not advanced to a Stanley Cup final, he is one of two teams to have made the playoffs every season since the lockout that canceled the 2004-05 season. Detroit is the other team to have played postseason hockey every year since the lockout. With “Votes of Confidence” like this from a team owner, I believe they are nothing more than “You better win now or else”. I would expect a bold and aggressive off-season from Wilson. He has yet to say anything about head coach Todd McLellan or any players on the roster, but don’t be surprised if a star player (I’m looking at you Patrick Marleau) is traded to gather more talent.
Wilson has been a mainstay in Silicon Valley, where he defenseman spent his last two season as the first captain when they entered the NHL in 1991. Prior to that, he spent 14 seasons with Chicago where he won the Norris Trophy in 1982 in addition to playing in eight all-star games. Wilson still ranks as the franchise leader in goals (225), assists (554), and points (779).
As San Jose’s GM, he has led the Sharks to five division titles and four second-place finishes including this season. During that stretch he has advanced to the conference final three times. They have struggled in the conference final is where the team has struggled, winning a combined three games. In 2004 they lost in six games to Calgary, swept by Chicago in 2010 and lost to Vancouver in five games last season. Under his watch the Sharks won the President’s Trophy with the best record in the league in 2009 before being upset by Anaheim in six games.
