"Does Bob know our group and have the upper hand in this process? Absolutely," Wilson told The Associated Press. "… But I think you have to be thorough in this process because we have the time and the opportunity. And when you have time like this you need to utilize it."
The NHL paused the 2019-20 season March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus. San Jose was 14-20-3 under Boughner after Peter DeBoer was fired as Sharks coach on Dec. 11.
"While our results for the year aren't where we needed them or wanted to be, I was pleased with how some of the overall play improved over the last half of the year," Wilson told The Athletic.
The Sharks lost defenseman Erik Karlsson and forwards Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture to injury after Boughner took over. They were 3-8-1 in their last 12 games and 29-36-5, 15 points out of Stanley Cup Playoff position and last in the Western Conference when the season was paused.
"I think [Bob] and his staff did a lot of good things and they were certainly hamstrung with a lot of our players out," Wilson said.
Last month, Boughner said he believes he has done enough to return.
"I feel good about it. I think that given a fair chance, that I'm the guy for this team," Boughner told The Athletic in remarks published March 19. "And I think [Doug] believes that, from what I know. I don't want to speak for him, but I'm planning on being back, I'm planning on putting a plan in place for next year, and trying to look forward."
Wilson said he expected Hertl (knee) and Karlsson (thumb) to be healthy in time for next season, and Couture, who earlier was sidelined by an ankle injury, had no aftereffects from a concussion sustained in the next-to-last game San Jose played, a 4-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on March 8.
Wilson did not say if 40-year-old center Joe Thornton would return to play a 16th season for the Sharks. He can become an unrestricted free agent after this season.
"Like every other player, we'll sit down with him and we'll do the evaluation at the end of the year," Wilson said. "I think you all know how we feel about him. The conversations that he and I have will stay between he and I."
