How Sharks' general manager Doug Wilson shut up his critics

SAN JOSE -- General manager Doug Wilson appeared to be a dead man walking as the Sharks wrapped up their first non-playoff season in more than a decade last spring,

The fan base reacted negatively when he labeled the squad a "tomorrow team" after its 2014 collapse in the playoffs and a perceived public spat with former-captain Joe Thornton last March threw another dark stain on his reputation.At the end of the team's final home game on April 6, 2015, "Fire Doug Wilson" chants filled the SAP Center.Despite the outside noise, owner Hasso Plattner stuck by Wilson's side, a move that's paying dividends as the Sharks prepare for their second-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks or Nashville Predators.