SAN JOSE, Calif. — When Doug Wilson took over as general manager in San Jose in 2003, the Sharks were a middling franchise that had won four playoff series in more than a decade and were coming off a last-place finish.

Under Wilson’s leadership the past two decades, San Jose became a destination spot that attracted stars, and the Sharks turned into one of the most consistent franchises in the NHL that did everything but win a Stanley Cup.

The Sharks announced Thursday that Wilson was stepping down after 19 seasons on the job because of a medical issue that led him to go on leave in November.

“This is clearly the most successful run in our franchise history and the envy of many other franchises as well,” team president Jonathan Becher said. “But his impact goes beyond just the ice. His impact was on all of us in the organization from the class act he was, to how he treated everybody else to the culture that he built into this organization. … His fingerprints are all over Sharks Sports and Entertainment.”

Becher said the organization had been operating with the expectation that Wilson would return until changing directions the past few days.

“While I have made great progress over the last several months, I feel it is in the best interest of the organization and myself to step down from my current duties and focus on my health and full recovery,” Wilson said in a statement. “I look forward to continuing my career in the NHL in the future.”

Joe Will has been running the team since Wilson went on leave and will continue in that role until a full-time replacement is hired.

The search will be focused on external candidates and be handled by owner Hasso Plattner, Becher and Will. Becher said there is no rush and that a new hire might not be in place before the draft in July, but should be hired before the next season.

Becher said looking outside the organization will bring a fresh perspective, but the organizational philosophy of trying to compete every year remains in place.

“By definition, a new GM will have new ideas. But certain things are core to who we are as a franchise,” Becher said. “We’re a cap team. We’re going to spend to the cap, not to the bottom. We’re focused on making the playoffs every single year and competing for the Cup, not tanking for picks. We’re going to keep our picks, grow the prospect pool, get younger. So those fundamental things you’ve heard us say over the last year remain true.

Wilson’s departure comes near the end of a season that will likely end with San Jose missing the playoffs for a third straight season for the first time in franchise history. The Sharks opened the day with a 29-32-9 record and were 16 points out of a playoff spot.

But that was far from the case for almost the entirety of Wilson’s tenure, as the Sharks won the third-most regular-season games and second-most playoff series during Wilson’s run.

The Sharks made it to the conference final in his first season on the job in 2004. Then, after a lockout canceled the 2004-05 season, Wilson built the Sharks into one of the NHL’s model franchises, starting with the trade that brought Joe Thornton to San Jose from Boston.

The Sharks made the playoffs in 14 of Wilson’s first 15 seasons with five trips to the conference finals and the franchise’s only Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2016 when San Jose lost to Pittsburgh in six games.

THURSDAY’S GAMES

RANGERS 3, PENGUINS 0: Frank Vatrano and Artemi Panarin scored in the second period, Igor Shesterkin stopped 30 shots for his fourth shutout of the season and New York won at home.

Dryden Hunt added an empty-net goal in the final minute and Mika Zibanejad had two assists for New York, which is 6-1-1 in its last eight games – including three victories against Pittsburgh.

With Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby a late scratch because of a non-COVID illness, the Penguins produced a meek attack against the Rangers, who also defeated their division rivals 5-1 at Madison Square Garden on March 25 and 3-2 in Pittsburgh on March 29.

The Rangers inched closer to their first playoff berth since 2017, moving six points ahead of the Penguins for second place in the Metropolitan Division – and home-ice advantage in the first round – with 10 games remaining.

HURRICANES 5, SABRES 3: Sebastian Aho and Jordan Staal each scored two goals and Carolina rallied from a pair of two-goal deficits to beat visiting Buffalo and clinch a playoff berth.

Aho’s go-ahead goal came with 8:21 remaining, propelling the Hurricanes to the 100-point mark (46-17-8) for the just the second time in franchise history. They have 11 games remaining.

CANADIENS 7, DEVILS 4: Kale Clague and Christian Dvorak each had a goal and two assists, Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki each had a goal and an assist as a part of a three-goal first period and Montreal won at Newark, New Jersey.

Chris Wideman, Joel Armia and Jake Evans also scored for the Canadiens. Jake Allen stopped 33 shots to help Montreal win for the second time in three games.

Jesper Bratt, Ty Smith, Tomas Tatar and AJ Greer scored for New Jersey.

FLYERS 4, BLUE JACKETS 1: Kevin Connauton, Owen Tippett and Noah Cates scored in Philadelphia’s three-goal second period and the Flyers won at Columbus.

Travis Konecny added a goal in the third period, Martin Jones stopped 26 shots and Kevin Hayes had a pair of assists.

PREDATORS 3, SENATORS 2: Roman Josi had a goal and two assists and Nashville erased a one-goal deficit in the third period to win at Ottawa.

Ryan Johansen scored on the power play at 12:38 of the third period, but it came with some controversy. Josi’s point shot appeared to be knocked down by a high stick from Matt Duchesne before Johansen tapped the puck in. The play was reviewed, but the goal stood to give the Predators the lead.

Duchesne scored Nashville’s other goal, and Juuse Saros made 28 saves.

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