San Jose Sharks find replacement for Rocky Thompson behind bench

The Sharks have hired longtime NHL assistant John MacLean to fill out their coaching staff, four days after Rocky Thompson stepped down as the Sharks’ associate coach.

MacLean, 56, has 13 seasons of NHL coaching experience, serving as an assistant with the New Jersey Devils from 2002 to 2009 — helping the team win the Stanley Cup in 2003 under Pat Burns — before he became New Jersey’s head coach in 2010. MacLean lasted just 33 games, getting fired shortly before Christmas as the Devils got off to a 9-20-2 start.

MacLean also served as an assistant for the Carolina Hurricanes from 2011 to 2014 and the Arizona Coyotes from 2017 to 2020.

MacLean played 1,194 NHL games over 18 seasons, including 14 seasons with the Devils, helping the team win a Stanley Cup in 1995.

MacLean played 51 games for the Sharks after he came over in a trade during the 1997-98 season. He then played 161 games with the New York Rangers and 48 games with the Dallas Stars to finish his career.

MacLean’s primary responsibilities with the Sharks will include working with the team’s forwards and overseeing the power play.

“John’s experience speaks for itself, and he checks a lot of the boxes we were hoping to fill with this role,” Sharks coach Bob Boughner said in a statement. “He has won the Stanley Cup as a player and a coach and knows how to relate to today’s player.

“In doing our diligence for this role, I spoke with many people, and everyone had great things to say about John as both a coach and a person. I’m excited to add him to our staff and look forward to having a great training camp as we prepare to start our season.”

Thompson, who coached the Sharks’ defensemen and was the team’s power-play coordinator, stepped down as the Sharks’ associated coach after one season under Boughner. Thompson said in a statement Friday that “due to a medical exemption that prevents me from taking the COVID-19 vaccine, under the new League protocols, I am not permitted to fulfill my duties on the Sharks coaching staff at this time.”

MacLean’s responsibilities will include working with the team’s forwards and overseeing the power play. It was not immediately clear who would now work with the team’s defensemen.

The Sharks’ power play finished 29th in the NHL last season at 14.1 percent. It was 17.3 percent during the 2019-2020 season.

MacLean joins a staff with fellow assistant John Madden, goalie coach Evgeni Nabokov, and video coach Dan Darrow. The Sharks begin their training camp in two weeks.