"John's experience speaks for itself, and he checks a lot of the boxes we were hoping to fill with this role," said Boughner. "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."
MacLean, 56, joins the Sharks organization after spending three seasons (2017-2020) as an assistant coach with the Arizona Coyotes. With Arizona, MacLean oversaw the team's penalty kill during the 2019-20 season, which finished fifth (82.7%). In 2019-20, the Coyotes reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
Previously, MacLean served as an assistant coach with the Carolina Hurricanes (2011-2014) and New Jersey Devils (2002-2009), which included capturing the 2003 Stanley Cup.
MacLean was the head coach of the Devils during the 2010-11 season and served as head coach for the Lowell Devils (AHL) for the 2009-10 season, when the team posted a 39-31-10 record and earned a berth in the AHL Playoffs.
A veteran of nearly 1200 NHL games (1,194), MacLean spent 18 seasons as a player in the National Hockey League, skating for the Devils, Sharks, New York Rangers and Dallas Stars, where he collected 842 points (413 goals, 429 assists) and 1,328 penalty minutes.
Most of those games were with New Jersey, where the two-time NHL All-Star (1989, 1991) appeared in 934 contests and still ranks second on the franchise's all-time list for points (701), goals (347) and power-play points (196). His 354 assists rank fourth in New Jersey history and his 1,168 penalty minutes ranks third, ahead of Scott Stevens.
MacLean also appeared in 104 Stanley Cup Playoff games with New Jersey, San Jose and Dallas, where he posted 83 points (35 goals, 48 goals) and 152 penalty minutes, including capturing the 1995 Stanley Cup with New Jersey.
MacLean had a brief stint with the Sharks during the 1997-98 season after being acquired from New Jersey on Dec. 7, 1997, along with defenseman Ken Sutton in exchange for defenseman Doug Bodger and forward Dody Wood. He notched 32 points (13 goals, 19 assists) in 51 regular season games and added five points (two goals, three assists) in six Stanley Cup Playoff games.
He was originally selected by New Jersey in the first round of the 1983 NHL Draft (sixth overall).
