Sharks dismiss coach Wilson

SAN JOSE -- Coach Ron Wilson led the San Jose Sharks to more victories than any NHL club over the last four seasons.

But not enough of those victories came in the postseason to please General Manager Doug Wilson, who’s making big changes to a talented team that usually wins, but just can’t win it all.

San Jose fired Ron Wilson on Monday after his club followed another outstanding regular season with yet another early exit from the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Sharks won the Pacific Division and had the NHL’s second-best record with 49 wins and 108 points, but the Dallas Stars knocked them out of the second round in six games May 4. San Jose ended its last three seasons with six-game losses in the second round.

“Sometimes the class needs a new professor, and sometimes the professor needs a new class,” said Doug Wilson, who claimed the Sharks played only “five good playoff games” among their 13 postseason outings this spring.

“In most ways I was shocked when Doug told me, but in some ways I guess I was not surprised,” Ron Wilson said.

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The Nashville Predators signed forward Martin Erat to a seven-year, $31.5-million contract.

Erat joined Nashville in the 2001-02 season after being selected in the 1999 draft.