Doug Wilson was the first captain of the San Jose Sharks during their inaugural season in 1991. In 16 NHL seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks and Sharks, he was selected to eight All-Star Games. 

As a long-time general manager of the Sharks, Wilson has guided the team to its most successful era, capturing a Presidents Trophy in 2009, multiple Pacific Division titles, and appearing in the Stanley Cup Final in 2016. Between 2003 and 2014, the Sharks made ten consecutive playoff appearances, the second-longest playoff streak in the NHL and the third-longest streak in North American professional sports at that time. He is also a member of the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame and the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame.

Doug Wilson was inducted into the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.