Through strong drafting, shrewd trades and timely free agent signings, Doug Wilson has crafted a talented team designed to compete for the Stanley Cup annually without sacrificing the future or strapping the franchise financially. After a franchise-best 104-point season that saw the Sharks reach the Western Conference Finals in 2004, the Sharks roared to a record-setting finish to the 2005-06 season following Wilson’s acquisition of 2006 Hart Trophy and Art Ross Trophy-winner Joe Thornton. Erasing a slow start, the team tied the franchise record for most wins (44) and set a new franchise mark by winning eight consecutive games, en route to clinching a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the fifth overall seed in the Western Conference. A firm believer in identifying a core group of players and keeping them intact, Wilson has recently successfully re-signed many key players on the Sharks roster, ensuring continuity moving forward. Over the past year, Patrick Marleau, Jonathan Cheechoo, Evgeni Nabokov, Vesa Toskala, Kyle McLaren and Mark Bell all signed multi-year contract extensions, surrendering potential unrestricted free agent status to remain in San Jose. In 2003-04, Wilson’s team captured the Pacific Division, setting a franchise record with 104 points, earning the second seed in the Western Conference for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in franchise history and a first-ever trip to the Western Conference Finals. The Sharks 43-21-12-6 record in 2003-04 was the third-best mark in the National Hockey League. In his current role, Wilson has overall authority regarding all hockey-related operations. He oversees all player personnel decisions, negotiates player contracts, coordinates the efforts of the team's scouting department, leads the team in its draft day preparation and administers the club's player evaluation process at all professional, minor and junior levels. In his previous role as the team’s director of pro development (1997-03), the 16-year NHL veteran’s primary responsibilities included evaluating talent at all professional and minor league levels and continuous assessment of the Sharks roster and reserve list. In addition, he provided valuable input assisting in the club’s player development programs and consulting with the hockey department on all major personnel issues, special assignments and contract negotiations. Working closely with the entire hockey department, Wilson played a major role in creating a positive atmosphere in the dressing room and on-the-ice attractiveness to obtaining and retaining veteran free agents such as Vincent Damphousse, Mike Ricci, Gary Suter, Scott Thornton and Mike Vernon. The 47-year-old Wilson was an integral member of the NHL Players’ Association for four years (1993-97). With the NHLPA, he served as coordinator of player relations and business development and was primarily responsible for overseeing player relations, the development of business ventures and managing international affairs. Wilson is also a past president of the Players’ Association. Wilson sat on the board of the Canadian Hockey Association and has extensive experience in talent evaluation. He served as management consultant for Canada’s entries in the 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997 World Junior Championship tournaments resulting in four consecutive gold medal finishes and also served on the management team for Canada’s entry in the 1998 Winter Olympic Games. Wilson draws on a vast amount of hockey knowledge and expertise throughout his experiences on- and off-the-ice. His older brother, Murray, played seven NHL seasons, capturing four Stanley Cup Championships with the Montreal Canadiens (1973, 1976-78). As a member of the Ontario Hockey League’s Ottawa 67s, Wilson played for Hall of Famer Brian Kilrea, junior hockey’s all-time winningest coach. During his tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks, he was a teammate of NHL legend Bobby Orr and a roommate with Hall of Famer Stan Mikita. In 2004, Wilson was named to the NHL Game Committee, a panel of players, coaches, executives and media responsible for examining all aspects of the game. The committee, which initially met during the offseason, included Hall of Fame Coach Scotty Bowman, Pittsburgh’s Chairman of the Board Mario Lemieux and former national television analyst/goaltender and current president of hockey operations for the St. Louis Blues, John Davidson, among others. A first round draft choice (sixth overall) by the Blackhawks in 1977 after a stellar junior career with the Ottawa 67s, Wilson played 14 seasons in Chicago and still ranks as the club’s highest scoring defenseman in points (779 fifth overall), goals (225 12th overall) and assists (554 third overall). Wilson ranks fifth all-time in games played (938) for Chicago. In addition, he led all Blackhawks defensemen in scoring for 10 consecutive seasons (1980-81 through 1990-91) and captured the 1982 James Norris Trophy, symbolic of the League’s top defenseman, when he tallied 39 goals and 85 points still Blackhawks single-season records for goals and points for a defenseman. He was selected to eight NHL All-Star Games (seven with Chicago and one with San Jose) and while with Chicago, Wilson was named to the NHL All-Star first team in 1981-82 and twice was named to the NHL All-Star second team (1984-85 and 1989-90). Acquired by San Jose from Chicago just before the Sharks inaugural season (1991-92), Wilson brought instant credibility and respect to the young franchise. He played two seasons for the Sharks, scoring 48 points (12 goals, 36 assists) in 86 games and, entering this season, ranks 54th on the Sharks all-time scoring list, 14th all-time among defensemen. Included in Wilson’s Sharks career highlights are serving as the franchise’s first team captain (1991-93), being the team’s first representative in an All-Star Game (1991-92), playing in his NHL-milestone 1,000th game on Nov. 21, 1992 (77th player in League history) and twice named Sharks nominee (1992 and 1993) for the King Clancy Award (for leadership and humanitarian contributions both on-and off-the-ice). At his 1,000th NHL game played ceremony, he announced the creation of the Doug Wilson Scholarship Foundation to provide assistance to worthy college-bound Bay Area students, which continues today. Wilson announced his retirement as a member of the Sharks during training camp in 1993-94 after playing in 1,024 career games. In addition, he played in 95 career playoff games and scored 80 points (19-61=80). The Ottawa, Ontario native scored 827 points (237 goals, 590 assists) during his career that began in 1977-78 with Chicago. In 2004, Wilson was named to the Positive Coaching Alliance’s National Advisory Board. PCA, established at Stanford University in 1998, looks to create a positive character-building experience by using sports to teach life lessons while de-emphasizing the win-at-all-cost mentality. Wilson was inducted into the Chicago Sports Hall of Fame in September 1999. He also serves on the NHL’s board of directors for the alumni association. In October 1998, the Ottawa 67s honored his stellar career by retiring his No. 7 sweater. Known as an offensive defenseman, he recorded 295 points in 194 OHL games with the 67s from 1975-77. In addition, during the same weekend of activities in his hometown, he was inducted into the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame. Doug and his wife, Kathy, have four children: Lacey, Doug, Charlie and Chelsea.