Toronto Maple Leafs News

The Toronto Maple Leafs have hired Ron Wilson as their new head coach, LeafsNews.com has learned.

Coaching Record

Team	Year	Regular Season							Post Season
		G	W	L	T	OTL	Pts	Finish	Result
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	1993-94	82	33	46	5	-	71	4th in Pacific	Missed Playoffs
	1994-95	48	16	27	5	-	37	6th in Pacific	Missed Playoffs
	1995-96	82	35	39	8	-	78	4th in Pacific	Missed Playoffs
	1996-97	82	36	33	13	-	85	2nd in Pacific	Lost in Second Round
Washington Capitals	1997-98	82	40	30	12	-	92	3rd in Atlantic	Lost in Cup Finals
	1998-99	82	31	45	6	-	68	4th in Southeast	Missed Playoffs
	1999-00	82	44	24	12	2	102	1st in Southeast	Lost in First Round
	2000-01	82	41	27	10	4	96	1st in Southeast	Lost in First Round
	2001-02	82	36	33	11	2	85	2nd in Southeast	Missed Playoffs
San Jose Sharks	2002-03	57	19	25	7	6	(73)	5th in Pacific	Missed Playoffs
	2003-04	82	43	21	12	6	104	1st in Pacific	Lost in Conf. Champ
	2005-06	82	44	27	-	11	99	2nd in Pacific	Lost in Second Round
	2006-07	82	51	26	-	5	107	2nd in Pacific	Lost in Second Round
	2007-08	82	49	23	-	10	108	1st in Pacific	Lost in Second Round
Total		1089	518	426	101	46

Named head coach of the Sharks on Dec. 4, 2002, Ron Wilson’s first full season behind the San Jose bench was an unmitigated success. Under his guidance and leadership, San Jose rebounded from a disappointing 2002-03 campaign in which they finished in last place in the Pacific Division and 14th in the Western Conference to capture their second Pacific Division title, a franchise-best 104 points and the second seed in the Western Conference for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Wilson, who was the runner-up for the 2003-04 Jack Adams Trophy, awarded to the National Hockey League’s top coach each year, led the team to its first-ever appearance in the Stanley Cup Western Conference Finals. In addition, he was named “Best Coach” for the 2003-04 season by The Hockey News.

Under his tutelage, the team also set or tied franchise records for most road wins (tied ? 19), most road points (set ? 47), most team shutouts (set ? 11) and most wins in a calendar month (10, March 2004).

Several facets of the game such as goals-against and penalty killing were identified as key indicators that needed to improve from the previous season (2002-03: 238 goals-against, 26th NHL and 81.0 percent penalty kill, 30th) to achieve team success. As a result, the Sharks finished with a franchise best for fewest goals allowed (183, T-4th) and an 85.3 percent penalty kill (T-6th). The Sharks were one of only three teams to finish the regular season with five, 20-goal scorers.

During the 2003-04 season, Wilson coached his 800th NHL game (Dec. 29 vs. Nashville) and collected his 350th NHL coaching victory on Jan. 15 vs. Vancouver. His 845 NHL games coached place him sixth all-time among active NHL coaches.

In February 2004, Wilson was named head coach of the United States entry in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, which was held from Aug. 30-Sept. 14. Wilson’s team won two of five games as they reached the semifinals.

Wilson’s family has a deep history in the game of hockey as his father, Larry, and uncle, Johnny, both won Stanley Cups while playing for the Detroit Red Wings. Wilson’s coaching and playing experience includes stints at the professional, amateur, collegiate and international ranks.

Wilson coached the Washington Capitals from 1997-02, posting a 192-167-51 record, which included consecutive Southeast Division titles (1999-00, 2000-01) and was highlighted by being named as a finalist for the Jack Adams Trophy as the NHL’s Coach of the Year (1999-00) and a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals (1997-98). His .540 winning percentage with Washington ranks him third on the franchise’s all-time list behind Bryan Murray (.572) and Terry Murray (.545).

Wilson became just the 25th coach in NHL history to record 300 wins when the Capitals defeated Florida 4-3 on Feb. 26, 2002 and he’s one of only 10 active NHL coaches to have reached that milestone, entering the 2004-05 season.

Before coaching the Capitals, Wilson, 49, was named the first head coach of the expansion Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in 1993 and led the organization to their first trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 1996-97, where they defeated the Phoenix Coyotes in the Western Conference Quarterfinals. In four seasons behind Anaheim’s bench, Wilson posted a 120-145-31 record.

Wilson also served as an assistant coach with the Vancouver Canucks from 1990-93 under current Toronto General Manager and Head Coach Pat Quinn.

Throughout his professional and amateur career, Wilson has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with USA Hockey. In 1996, he led Team USA to the gold medal at the inaugural World Cup of Hockey with a two-games-to-one series victory over Team Canada in the finals and was named USA Hockey National Coach of the Year. He also coached the U.S. National Teams at the 1994 and 1996 World Championships, where his teams finished fourth and third, respectively. Wilson also served as head coach for Team USA at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games.

Wilson has also developed a reputation as one of the NHL’s more technologically savvy coaches. He and his assistants (Tim Hunter and Rob Zettler) utilize a laptop computer on the bench for replays and a tablet personal computer to capture statistics in real time. In addition, Wilson conducts meetings with a SMART Board, a “digital chalkboard,” that uses streaming video and a telestrator which allows him to move player templates with his finger.

Born in Windsor, Ontario and raised in Riverside, Rhode Island, Wilson gained the attention of NHL scouts while playing at Providence College, where he played under current New Jersey Devils President and General Manager Lou Lamoriello. In his four years at Providence (1973-77), he was an All-American selection twice and a four-time All-ECAC selection. As a sophomore, Wilson was named ECAC Player of the Year when he led the nation in scoring with 87 points (26 goals and 61 assists) in only 26 games. Wilson, a member of the Providence Hall of Fame, still holds the school records (and NCAA records for defensemen) in career points (250), assists (172), most points in a single season (87) and single-season assists (61).

Wilson was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the seventh round (132nd overall) of the 1975 NHL Entry Draft. He began his professional career with the Dallas Blackhawks (Central Hockey League) in the spring of 1977, joining the Maple Leafs for the 1977-78 season and playing in 64 NHL games over three seasons. In 1980, Wilson headed to Europe for six seasons, playing for EHC Kloten and HC Davos of the Swiss Elite League, before returning to the NHL in 1985. He signed as a free agent with the Minnesota North Stars and finished his playing career in 1988. In 177 NHL games with Toronto and Minnesota, Wilson posted 93 points (26 goals and 67 assists). He also played for the U.S. National Teams in 1975, 1981, 1983 and 1987.

Off the ice, Wilson is a scratch golfer who narrowly missed qualifying for the 2005 U.S. Open in a playoff. In addition, he has donated his time to several Bay Area charitable events, including serving as the keynote speaker for the Special Olympics of Northern California “Breakfast with Champions” event for the past two years.

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