Five Nhl Jobs Filled

Two days after the Detroit Red Wings hoisted the Stanley Cup, three NHL coaching jobs and two general manager positions were filled.

Ron Wilson took over the Washington Capitals on Monday, Jim Schoenfeld joined the Phoenix Coyotes, and Darryl Sutter returned to the NHL as coach of the San Jose Sharks. The Capitals also hired George McPhee as general manager, and St. Louis turned its GM duties over to Larry Pleau.

Wilson, 42, signed a three-year contract worth a reported $2.1 million. He spent the past four years as Anaheim’s coach, compiling a 120-145-31 record and guiding the expansion team to its first playoff berth.

McPhee assumes the responsibilities of David Poile, fired last month after a 15-year run. McPhee, at 38, becomes the league’s youngest general manager. Although he has never been a GM, he did plenty of front office work with Vancouver as vice president of hockey operations.

Schoenfeld, 44, got a three-year, $1.5 million contract to replace Don Hay, who was fired last month after Anaheim eliminated the Coyotes in the first round of the playoffs. The former All-Star defenseman is the franchise’s fourth coach in as many years.

Sutter, 38, takes over in San Jose, just over a year after Al Sims was hired as the Sharks’ third coach in their six years. San Jose has never finished above .500 and was next to last in the NHL the past two seasons.

In three seasons as Chicago’s coach from 1992-95, Sutter was 110-80-26, making the playoffs each time. He resigned in June 1995 to spend more time with his family. His son Christopher, 4, has Down syndrome.