GOTTA SEE IT: Wilson’s Hall of Fame Induction Speech

Doug Wilson is finally, officially part of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Part of the 2020 Hall of Fame class, Wilson had to wait more than year for his induction ceremony because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 1982 Norris Trophy winner and one of the finest offensive blueliners of his generation, Wilson starred for the Chicago Blackhawks before closing out his playing career with the expansion San Jose Sharks.

Wilson has been the general manager of the San Jose Sharks since 2003, one of only four players/GMs to have both played and managed over 1,000 NHL games. It’s select company: Bobby Clarke (1987), Bob Pulford (1991), and Bob Gainey (1992) are all in the Hall of Fame.

And now, so’s Wilson.

In a short but thoughtful acceptance speech, Wilson recalled a lesson from his first roommate, fellow Hall of Famer Stan Mikita: “He always had a saying that he would teach me: ‘You make a living by what you get, you make a life by what you give.’”

#SJSharks General Manager, Doug Wilson's speech following his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame tonight 👏 pic.twitter.com/IvF2zMdrwU

— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) November 16, 2021

Wilson made sure to give thanks to his wife Kathy, his parents, and San Jose Sharks’ front office members Tim Burke, Joe Will, Rosemary Tebaldi, and his son Doug Wilson Jr..

He also called his Ottawa 67’s head coach Brian Kilrea more than a coach, but “a teacher of life.” It was Kilrea who presented Wilson’s Hockey Hall of Fame plaque to him.

Wilson also remembered a number of his Chicago teammates. He was inducted in the player class, almost entirely on the back of his achievements as a Blackhawk. Besides Mikita, Wilson also mentioned Keith Magnuson, Tony Esposito, Denis Savard, and Steve Larmer. He also spotlighted announcer Pat Foley and reporter Bob Verde.

“All I can hope for is that my grandkids will have people come into their lives at key moments in their journey like I did,” the San Jose Sharks GM said, to close. He has five grandchildren, with a sixth on the way. “And that’s something that I wish for all of you guys.”