Another interesting name emerges in Leafs' GM search; this one has a tremendous amount of experience

Darren Dreger touched on this topic earlier in the weekend saying this is exactly how Shanahan wants it playing out. The Pittsburgh Penguins search has been exhaustive but very public, whereas Toronto is trying to keep their cards very close to their vest. Dreger mentioned that they might be waiting out on the Vegas-Dallas series as they have a perceived interest in George McPhee and Jim Nill.

Another name that has now come forward with a little more gusto is Doug Wilson. Wilson was the long-time general manager of the San Jose Sharks before he had to step away due to medical reasons back in April of 2022. He is reportedly healthy, feeling better, and eager to get back into the game.

One key intangible that has been mentioned ad nauseam is experience and if that is the delineating factor in this exhaustive search, then Doug Wilson should be at or near the top of that list.

Wilson played for the Chicago Blackhawks from 1977-78 to 1990-91 before finishing his career as the captain of the San Jose Sharks from 1991-92 to 1992-03. He tallied 237 goals and 827 points in 1024 games as a defenseman.

In 1996-97 he joined the Sharks front office as Director of Player Personnel, a position he held until 2002-03. He briefly became an Assistant Coach in 2002-03 before taking on the Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations and General Manager's positions the following season. He held onto both titles until 2016-17 before finishing his time in San Jose as the GM until 2021-22.

The Sharks were always a contender. They made the post-season in all but one season from 2003-04 to 2018-19, had 4 Conference Finals appearances, and lost out in the Stanley Cup Finals in 2016. He's been around long enough to know how to swing for the fences, how to build a contending team, and how to keep them in contention for years on end.

However, near the end of his tenure, the Sharks were in serious salary cap trouble with contracts that he dished out to Brent Burns, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, and Erik Karlsson among others. Vlasic, who is 36-years-old, still has 3 years remaining at a cap hit of $7 million, while Karlsson holds a cap hit of $11.5 million for another 4 years.

Elliotte Friedman mentioned that talks between the Leafs and Wilson were just in the preliminary stages but with how Shanahan is trying to operate, don't be surprised if Wilson's name gets mentioned again in the near future.