 When the Sharks fired head coach Kevin Constantine after a dismal 3–18–4 start, Wiley was promoted to the head coaching position with the NHL club.While his 17–37–3 record was somewhat of an improvement over their start, it was not enough for Wiley to keep his job.Following the season, he was reassigned back to the Sharks' top farm team, now the Kentucky Thoroughblades, where he served until 1998.