San Jose Sharks Hire Mike Grier As NHL’s First Black General Manager

The San Jose Sharks made history on Tuesday. Mike Grier was introduced by team president Jonathan Becher and assistant general manager Joe Will as the club’s new general manager. He’s the first Black GM in NHL history.

Becher cited Grier’s breadth of experience as the quality that ultimately made him the club’s first choice for the position. As a right winger who was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the ninth round in 1993, Grier logged 1,160 career NHL games with four organizations over 14 seasons, including three years with the Sharks from 2006 to 2009. After retiring in 2011, he became a scout with the Chicago Blackhawks organization, earning a Stanley Cup ring in 2015. He also coached prep school hockey for several years before joining the New Jersey Devils as an assistant coach for two seasons.

Last year, the 47-year-old Detroit native joined Chris Drury’s staff with the New York Rangers, as a hockey operations advisor. Their ties go back to Boston University, where they played together for two seasons starting in 1994.

“Chris has known Mike for a long time as a player, as a coach, and of course in his last role as part of the Ranger management team, and gave a very strong endorsement,” said Becher — who also mentioned the Rangers’ single-season improvement of 50 points in the NHL standings and their trip to the 2022 Eastern Conference Final.

The Sharks, who have missed the playoffs for the last three years, would love to see a similar quick turnaround.

Grier has also been immersed in the world of sports management since childhood. His father, Bobby Grier, is a longtime NFL scout and executive who spent 20 years with the New England Patriots and 16 with the Houston Texans. After Mike’s brother Chris Grier became the Miami Dolphins’ general manager in 2016, Bobby joined the Dolphins in a consulting role in 2017.

“I think the main thing my father instilled in us was his work ethic,” said Grier about the lessons he learned growing up that will help him in his new position. “The time he put in, he often would be off to work before we left for school, and sometimes he wouldn’t get home till after dinner or when we were ready to get in bed.

Another core value: “His belief that you treat people the right way. If you want to have a winning franchise, it starts with how you treat people. And his ability to never leave a stone unturned. He would stay up till all hours and go scout, wherever it took him. Whatever needed to be done, to get the job done.”

The Sharks’ general manager search has been underway since early April, when Doug Wilson announced that he’d be stepping away permanently after 19 seasons, due to health issues.

There’s no time for Grier to ease into his position. The 2022 NHL Draft is just two days away — July 7-8 in Montreal — and the league’s free agency period opens on July 13. He’ll also need to fill out the rest of his management staff. Will, who has been with the Sharks since before they came into the league as an expansion team in 1991, will stay on as an assistant general manager after serving as interim GM for the last three months.

A new coaching staff will also need to be hired. Bob Boughner and his assistants John Madden and John MacLean were let go last Friday, making San Jose the lone remaining coaching vacancy in the NHL. Last week, the Detroit Red Wings hired former Tampa Bay Lightning assistant coach Derek Lalonde, while Jim Montgomery landed with the Boston Bruins and Rick Bowness signed on with the Winnipeg Jets.

Remaking the Sharks’ roster will also require some heavy lifting on Grier’s part. According to CapFriendly, the club has 21 players signed for next season, and less than $6 million in available salary-cap space. In a market where on-ice success is crucial for ticket sales, talent upgrades are needed.

On defense, the club is carrying three massive contracts: Erik Karlsson, 32, has a cap hit of $11.5 million for five more seasons. Brent Burns, 37, is locked in at $8 million a year for three more seasons. And Marc-Edouard Vlasic, 35, carries a cap hit of $7 million for four more seasons. After averaging a career low 15:13 of ice time last season and putting up just 14 points, Vlasic’s name has been mentioned as a potential contract buyout candidate.

Evander Kane’s status is another piece of unfinished business. In January, while he was with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda, the Sharks placed Kane on unconditional waivers after an alleged violation of the AHL’s Covid-19 protocols. As an unrestricted free agent, Kane signed a one-year contract worth $1.375 million to play with the Edmonton Oilers for the rest of the year. The 30-year-old had good success on the ice, recording 39 points in 47 regular-season games and adding another 17 points in 15 playoff games, as the Oilers reached the Western Conference Final.

But Kane also filed a grievance against the Sharks for improper termination of his contract, which runs through the 2024-25 season and carries a cap hit of $7 million per year. His hearing began in April but was not concluded, and scheduling challenges make it likely that the situation will not be resolved until after free agency opens on July 13.

If the arbitrator finds in favor of Kane, it’s possible that he could return to the Sharks — and create an even bigger salary-cap headache. It’s also possible that a settlement between the two sides could occur at some point, putting the matter to rest.

On Tuesday, Grier opted not to comment on Kane’s situation, Boughner’s dismissal or any potential player moves or buyouts.

The Sharks hold nine picks in this week’s draft, starting with the No. 11 selection in the first round.