With little more than one month passed since the unfortunate defeat of the San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference finals of the 2021 DCHL playoffs, a shocking development out of California’s Bay Area.

Long Time General Manager and Director of Hockey Operations, Luke Wile, resigned.

After yet another outstanding season for the Sharks, who closed the season with a 59-18-5 record, nobody in the organization, or the league, saw this move coming. The Sharks owner, Hasso Plattner had this to say; 

“Last week was a very emotional week for the entire organization. Luke has been a part of our family since the beginning. When we broke into this league, with our unconventional long-term plan, Luke was excited because he saw the picture as I did. He understood the challenging nature of building a winning team, and it all worked beautifully in the end.”

San Jose won the cup in 2016 in fantastic fashion, and seemed to dominate the regular season in the years to follow. One thing seemed to be amiss in the equation, however, as the team struggled in the playoffs, even so much as being eliminated in the first round by the Vegas Golden Knights in 2019.

“It was a couple of confusing years where we dropped out early in the playoffs, but we never lost faith in Luke’s abilities,” said Plattner. “When he [Wile] confirmed that he was stepping away, there was a scramble to find a suitable replacement as soon as possible, all while ensuring that our vision would continue to flourish.”

Enter Daniel Michaud. The GM of the Los Angeles Kings from 2016 to 2018, Michaud is no stranger to the league, its inner-workings, and the subtleties of the West-Coast play styles and customs.

“I was playing with my children at the park when I got the call from Mr. Plattner himself about taking on the position in San Jose. I was a little surprised, honestly, at the swiftness of the decision. Luke is an amazing GM. I remember looking forward to the challenge of playing against the team that he worked so diligently to create. It is bizarre to not have him in the league.”

Michaud comments about his years in LA, and the intricacies of managing a Pacific Division team.

“Being behind the scenes in LA was an amazing experience. A lot of tough decisions were made. Some better than others. I worked with a great team, from management, to media staff, right down to the players. Unfortunately, personal obligations in 2018 took me away from managing the Kings. I look forward to working with this new organization and to continue to move forward in a positive direction for years to come.”

With just one week remaining before DCHL free agency opens, the questions arise; will GM Michaud bring the missing piece to complete the Sharks’ playoff puzzle, and what, if any, changes will come to the roster before opening day this September.