San Jose Sharks - NHL.com

coaches
Matt Shaw
Assistant Coach
FRONT OFFICE
A one-time assistant coach with Todd McLellan on the American Hockey
League’s Houston Aeros, Matt Shaw joined the Sharks in July as an assistant
coach.
Shaw spent the past two seasons (2007-09) with the Minnesota Wild on former
Head Coach Jacques Lemaire’s staff. He served as assistant coach for the 2008-
09 season after spending 2007-08 as the team’s video coach. Shaw’s duties with
the Wild included video responsibilities, pre-scouting opposing teams and in-game
analysis and adjustments.
Shaw has been behind the bench for more than 1,000 professional and collegiate hockey games in his
coaching career and spent seven seasons as an assistant coach for the Aeros, including 2001-05 as McLellan’s
assistant, before joining the Wild. He also served as assistant general manager for Houston and helped
lead the Aeros to a record of 273-215-74 (.552), including the 2003 Calder Cup, in his seven years with the
organization.
Before joining Houston, Shaw served as head coach of the Quad City Mallards of the United Hockey League
(UHL) in 1999-00, leading the team to a 53-16-5 record and a trip to the UHL Finals. He also spent two seasons
as an assistant coach in Quad City from 1995-97 and they won the 1996-97 UHL Championship. He was also an
assistant coach for the Chicago Wolves of the International Hockey League (IHL) in 1998-99 and served as head
coach of the ECHL’s Mobile Mysticks in 1997-98.
The Phoenix, Ariz. native began his coaching career with his alma mater, Colorado College, where he served
as an assistant coach for the Tigers from 1989-92. His primary responsibilities were coordinating practices and
recruiting. During his tenure, Shaw was the youngest recruiter on the Division I NCAA circuit.
He played 138 collegiate games as a defenseman with U.S. International University (1985-88) and Colorado
College (1988-89) and was a tri-captain with the Tigers during his senior season and earned All-WCHA Honorable
Mention.
Jay Woodcroft
Assistant Coach
Jay Woodcroft begins his second season in San Jose as an assistant coach and
fifth year in the NHL.
Woodcroft’s primary responsibilities include designing penalty kill schemes
alongside fellow Assistant Coach Trent Yawney (fifth in the NHL in 2008-09), working
with the team’s centers on faceoff technique (second in 2008-09), pre-scouting the
opposition with his fellow coaches and on-ice skill development work with individual
players. As the “eye in the sky” during games, Woodcroft’s analysis helps the
coaching staff make necessary in-game adjustments.
Woodcroft, 33, spent three seasons alongside Sharks Head Coach Todd McLellan
with the Detroit Red Wings (2005-08) as video coach, including their 2008 Stanley Cup Championship season.
In four seasons in the NHL, Woodcroft has been a part of teams that have won 215 regular season games,
three Presidents’ Trophies, 30 playoff games and one Stanley Cup.
Woodcroft joined the Red Wings following a six-year minor league career. He spent the 2004-05 season
in Germany playing for the Stuttgart Wizards and, in his career, played with the Corpus Christi Rayz (CHL), Flint
Generals (UHL), Anchorage Aces (WCHL), Missouri River Otters (UHL) and Jackson Bandits (ECHL).
The Toronto, Ontario native spent four seasons on a full scholarship with the University of Alabama-Huntsville
where he was an Academic All-American and graduated summa cum laude with a degree in finance.
Woodcroft and his wife, Jaclynn, reside in Santa Clara.
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