Sharks coach gets walking papers

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, May 13, 2008 | by David Pollak

SAN JOSE -- The San Jose Sharks' failure to advance any closer to a Stanley Cup title this season than in their previous two playoff runs cost coach Ron Wilson his job Monday.

"Sometimes the class needs a new professor, and sometimes the professor needs a new class," general manager Doug Wilson said after declaring his dissatisfaction with the team's third straight second- round exit.

An active search for the team's eighth head coach will begin immediately, the general manager said, and won't be limited to candidates with previou NHL experience.

Four NHL teams -- San Jose, Colorado, Toronto and Florida -- have coaching vacancies. And though the Sharks could be seen as an attractiveplace to land after finishing last season with 108 points, "I'm not arrogant enough to think we'll just sit here and wait for people to knock our doors down," Doug Wilson said.

Assistant coaches Tim Hunter and Rob Zettler remain under contract and could get consideration for the top job, the GM added.

Ron Wilson said he was shocked initially when he learned of his firing, then acknowledged he was familiar with media reports that his job was on the line.

"I've read about this so much for the last year that I almost became callous to the whole process," said the coach whose 518 career wins rank eighth in NHL history. "When it happens, you're disappointed, but I couldn't be prouder of my work here."

Ron Wilson, who leaves with the franchise record for most coaching wins at 218 and did get the Sharks to the Western Conference finals in 2004, also wasn't sure that his players needed a different voice behind the bench, as his general manager suggested.

"You hear that a lot in this business," the coach said. "Whether it's true or not remains to be seen. I didn't think so, but my boss thinks so. I accept Dougie's decision. Dougie's been an unbelievable guy to work with."

Ron Wilson said he had no regrets about his tenure in San Jose and felt he had been given a fair shot. But he stopped short of taking responsibility for the Sharks' failure to get past Dallas this month.

"I can't control guys falling down," he said. "I can't control bounces in the playoffs. I would play that series again and go in with the same game plan. You outchance and outshoot a team, and sometimes it isn't meant to be."

In past seasons, Wilson's acerbic and sarcastic style occasionally led to rifts with his players -- "Some of the things I may say, they're going to take personal, but it's never meant that way," he said -- but similar reports did not surface this season.

Players contacted after the coach's dismissal said those on the ice were the ones who should shoulder responsibility for the playoff exit.

"You never like to see coaches get fired, because in essence it's the players that have to win and do the right thing and get the job done," veteran Jeremy Roenick said. "I have a lot of respect for Ron Wilson and what he's done for me, and what he's done for our team."

They rejected the idea that the locker room had tuned out their coach this season, and they played down whatever previous rifts might have existed between players and coach.

"He did a good job, tried to fit guys in the roles where they would have success. Wherever you are, there's always going to be guys that aren't happy with their situation," said Mike Grier, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery earlier in the day.

Rookie Torrey Mitchell gave Wilson his unqualified support.

"I've got nothing but great things to say about him," Mitchell said. "Obviously, I was pretty pumped to make the team, and he gave me the opportunity."

Ron Wilson is likely to be a candidate for all the NHL openings outside San Jose, but he didn't sound like he was in a hurry to rejoin the fray.

The GM said he liked what his team showed in Game 7 of its first- round series against Calgary, but was troubled that the Sharks then did not appear to respect Dallas enough.

And, Wilson said, other changes will be coming.

"Is it fair to say there will be players that won't be back?" the GM asked. "Yeah, that's fair to say."