SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 4 (UPI) -- Ron Wilson, who guided the Washington Capitals to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1998, was named Wednesday as coach of the San Jose Sharks.
Wilson was hired to replace Darryl Sutter, who was fired Sunday with the Sharks last in the Pacific Division a season after winning the first division title in team history.
Terms of Wilson's contract were not disclosed. His first game will be Friday against Columbus.
"Ron Wilson is an experienced NHL coach with a strong track record in both the regular season and the playoffs," Sharks General Manager Dean Lombardi said. "His success at the NHL and international levels speaks for itself."
Sutter was dismissed Sunday along with assistant coaches Rich Preston and Lorne Molleken. Pro scout Cap Raeder coached the team in a 3-2 overtime loss to Phoenix on Tuesday. The Sharks are 9-12-2-2.
Wilson, 47, was fired by the Capitals in May after his fifth season with the club. The Caps failed to make the playoffs last season, but Wilson previously led them to back-to-back division titles, three 40-win seasons and a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1998, where they were swept by the Detroit Red Wings.
Wilson had his first head coaching job with Anaheim in 1993. Teemu Selanne, now with the Sharks, had 51 goals and 109 points under Wilson during the 1996-97 season as the Mighty Ducks made their first postseason appearance.
In nine seasons, Wilson owns a 192-159-51-8 record, making the playoffs four times. He also coached Team USA over Canada in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.
Sutter departed as the most successful coach in team history with a 192-182-60-15 record. Last season, he guided the Sharks to the Pacific Division title and a first-round playoff victory over Phoenix.
But San Jose squandered a three games to two lead in the Western Conference semifinals against Colorado and has not gotten past the second round in its 11-year history.
The Sharks started this season without goaltender Evgeni Nabokov and defenseman Brad Stuart, but continued to struggle after those two key players ended their holdouts. They have won just three of their last 12 games.
