NHL Rumors: Two NHL Teams Looking At Former Sharks GM For Vacant Roles

According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman's report on The Jeff Marek Show, former San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson is being considered for the Philadelphia Flyers' Presidency vacancy and might also be on a list of names that the Pittsburgh Penguins are looking at for their President of Hockey Operations role.

Friedman on TJMS says there was some sort of meeting between Émilie Castonguay and the Flyers yesterday. Friedman says Ray Shero may be looking for a GM role rather than a president position. Also throws out Doug Wilson’s name for Philly & Pittsburgh in a Pres of Hockey Ops role.

— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) April 19, 2023

Wilson is said to be looking to make a comeback to the NHL, after leaving the Sharks a year ago due to health issues, and has been improving for the role.

However, it's not clear which team he's eyeing for his return, and the specific roles he's being considered for are also not confirmed.

During his 19-year tenure, Wilson made a significant impact on the Sharks' organization, leading them to remarkable results that few NHL teams can match.

Despite never winning the ultimate prize, the Stanley Cup, under Wilson's leadership, the Sharks won the Presidents' Trophy in 2008-09 and finished first in the Pacific Division five times. They also qualified for the playoffs 14 times, reaching the Western Conference Final on five occasions and the Stanley Cup Final in 2016.

Here are just two of the many strong moves Wilson made as the GM of the Sharks:

• In 2005, Wilson acquired star forward Joe Thornton from the Boston Bruins in exchange for Marco Sturm, Brad Stuart, and Wayne Primeau. Thornton went on to become one of the Sharks' most successful players and helped lead the team to the 2016 Stanley Cup Final.

• In 2011, Wilson acquired defenseman Brent Burns from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Devin Setoguchi, Charlie Coyle, and a first-round draft pick. Burns became a cornerstone of the Sharks' defense and won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman in 2017.

Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports