Former San Jose Sharks General Manager Doug Wilson had a long tenure with the team. His biggest mistake was letting former star Joe Pavelski leave in 2019. Wilson admitted this was an error in an interview recently following Pavelski’s retirement. “We should have found a way to get it done. It was a mistake.” At the time of letting him walk, Pavelski was the captain of the team. What would have happened if he remained with the team?
San Jose Sharks Fell Off Immediately
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When the San Jose Sharks let Pavelski leave in free agency, they were still seen as a playoff contender. They had just reached the Western Conference Finals where they lost to the St. Louis Blues. They had also traded a haul to get superstar Defenseman Erik Karlsson before the season.
After letting Pavelski walk in free agency, the Sharks fell off immediately. They haven’t made it back to the playoffs since letting him go to the Dallas Stars. This is after a stretch where they had only missed the playoffs twice(2002-03 and 2014-15) between 2000 and 2019.
Pavelski Continued His Greatness
While the Sharks went downhill, the Stars surged into title contention. With Pavelski taking a major role on the team, they went to the Stanley Cup Finals during the 2020 Covid season. 2024 was the final heartbreak for the team, falling short again in the Western Conference Finals.
The Stars made the playoffs every year that Pavelski was there. In 369 games, he would score 121 goals and 186 assists for 307 points. His leadership role on the team was also massive for a young team learning to win. He was so vital that even rumors of his retirement brought teammates to tears.
Pavelski Staying Meant Karlsson Leaves
At the time, the San Jose Sharks were pressed for cap space. They had mortgaged their future by trading several high draft picks in various trades. They also had to decide whether they were keeping their captain or keeping the player they had sent so much to get.
The Karlsson trade was massive because they gave up several picks but also because they would have given up more if they let him leave. In addition, Karlsson was a younger player who was seen to be in better condition at the time. He did win a Norris Trophy with the San Jose Sharks but re-signing Karlsson meant that they didn’t have enough money to pay everybody.
Pavelski’s Legendary Legacy in Teal
There is an argument that there has been no greater team captain for the San Jose Sharks than Pavelski. They made the Stanley Cup Finals with him as the captain in 2016. He was a seventh-round pick in the legendary 2003 NHL Entry Draft that developed into a potential Hall of Famer.
Teaming up with legends like Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, “Little Joe” is a top three player in franchise history. He was a homegrown hero who nobody predicted would be as great as he became. He was one of the heart and soul players for the franchise.
Doug Wilson’s Tenure Isn’t Scarred
Despite how brutal the last few seasons ended up for the San Jose Sharks, Wilson’s time as General Manager was storied. It didn’t produce any championships but it produced some phenomenal squads. Anybody who keeps their job that long must have done a few things right.
While it is a tragedy that the team never won a title despite all of the playoff appearances, Wilson was a huge reason why that team stayed in contention. They almost always had a shot at winning a championship but just never could get it done. The end of his time there was brutal given how badly they’ve fallen off, but that shouldn’t destroy all of what he accomplished there.
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