Mike Grier
First black general manager in NHL history and former checking forward.
Mike Grier is an American former professional ice hockey winger and current general manager of the San Jose Sharks. He played for the Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals, Buffalo Sabres, and San Jose Sharks. He was the first African-American NHL player to train exclusively in the United States, and the league's first black general manager.
Quick Facts
- Position
- Defenseman
- Team
- New Jersey Devils
- Playing style
- Physical
- two-way
- penalty-killing specialist
- Handedness
- Left
Lore & Background
Grier was originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the ninth round (219th overall) of the 1993 NHL entry draft. He played 1,060 games over 14 seasons. He played his 1,000th NHL game on November 3, 2010, against the Boston Bruins. After retiring, he served as a scout with the Chicago Blackhawks and an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils before being hired by the New York Rangers as hockey operations advisor on May 19, 2021.
Reader's Guide
Grier was primarily a checking forward and penalty-killer. He played six seasons with the Oilers, including two in which he scored twenty goals. He set a personal record with four game-winning goals for the Sabres in the 2005–06 season. He recorded 16 goals, including three shorthanded, in his first season with San Jose. He was on the top penalty-killing units of both the Sharks and Sabres.
Did You Know?
- Grier is of Bajan descent.
- His father Bobby was the associate director of pro scouting for the Houston Texans of the NFL.
- His brother Chris served as the general manager for the Miami Dolphins starting in 2016.
- Grier was involved in a 1997 incident with Chris Simon involving alleged racial slurs.
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