Sharks Hire Mike Grier as Their New General Manager

 

The Sharks have officially introduced Mike Grier as their new general manager. Grier takes over for Joe Will, who was the interim general manager after Doug Wilson stepped down due to an ongoing illness, and becomes the first black general manager in NHL history. 

Mike Grier played 14 seasons in the NHL for four different teams, including the Sharks from 2006 to 2009, before retiring in 2011. This past season, he was the hockey operations adviser for the New York Rangers and was previously a scout for the Chicago Blackhawks from 2014 to 2018. His older brother Chris is currently the general manager of the Miami Dolphins, who has had that role since 2016. 

Grier's first significant tasks as the Sharks' new general manager will be the draft this Thursday in Montreal, finding a new head coach, and restructuring the roster to stay under the salary cap and after this team missed the playoffs for the past three seasons. Luckily, Grier has confirmed during today's introductory press conference that he doesn't plan to completely tear down this team and start from scratch.

In all, this is a great hire for the Sharks not only from a diversity and inclusion perspective, but an experience and determination perspective as well. I believe Mike Grier can lead the Sharks out of their current mess and back to being the perennial playoff contender that they have been for much of their franchise history. 

Lastly, one crazy aspect of this hire in the best way possible is that I happen to have a puck autographed by Mike Grier that I received as a Christmas gift a few years ago, which is featured at the top of this post. It has now significantly increased in value since he was just named the Sharks' new GM, but I don't plan to get rid of it anytime soon, if ever. 

Sources: ESPN, NHL Discussion via Instagram, San Jose Sharks via YouTube 

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