Mike Grier

Michael Grier
Michael Grier
Born	January 5, 1975 (age 51); Holliston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Other names	Mike Grier
Occupation(s)	Ice hockey winger (retired), general manager
Years active	1996–2011 (player), 2011–present (management)
Known for	First African-American NHL player developed solely in the U.S.; first Black NHL general manager

Michael James Grier (born January 5, 1975) is a retired American professional ice hockey winger and currently serves as the general manager of the San Jose Sharks in the National Hockey League (NHL). Throughout his career, he played for the Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals, Buffalo Sabres, and San Jose Sharks. Known mainly as a checking forward, Grier participated in 1,060 NHL games across 14 seasons. He holds the distinction of being the first African-American NHL player developed solely within the United States and the league’s inaugural Black general manager.

Early years

Mike Grier grew up in Holliston, Massachusetts, and attended St. Sebastian's School. He is of Barbadian heritage. His father, Bobby Grier, held several prominent positions in professional football, including associate director of Pro Scouting for the Houston Texans (NFL), running backs coach, and vice-president of player personnel for the New England Patriots. Mike's brother, Chris Grier, has been the general manager of the Miami Dolphins since 2016. The family also includes Roosevelt "Rosey" Grier, a former NFL defensive lineman and Pro Bowl selectee.

Playing career

Selected in the ninth round (219th overall) by the St. Louis Blues during the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, Mike Grier was initially considered unlikely to secure a spot on an NHL roster. He showcased his skills at St. Sebastian's School and later at Boston University, where he earned first-team all-star recognition in the 1994–95 season. While still in college, his NHL rights were traded to the Edmonton Oilers alongside goaltender Curtis Joseph in exchange for two first-round draft selections.

Upon finishing college, Grier earned a role with Edmonton as a checking-line right winger, tallying 32 points and achieving a +7 plus-minus rating in his debut season. Over six seasons with the Oilers, he was recognized for his physical style of play and was involved in a notable altercation with Chris Simon of the Washington Capitals in 1997. Twice during his tenure with Edmonton, he reached the 20-goal mark.

On October 2, 2002, Grier was traded to the Washington Capitals in return for draft picks. This move briefly reunited him with Chris Simon before Simon was dealt to Chicago. The Capitals sought to construct a Stanley Cup-caliber team centered on star forward Jaromír Jágr and goaltender Olaf Kölzig, but despite Grier’s consistent defensive contributions, the team underachieved.

Washington traded Grier to the Buffalo Sabres on March 4, 2004, receiving prospect Jakub Klepiš in exchange. During his time with Buffalo, Grier played a key role in advancing to the 2006 Eastern Conference Finals and set a personal best by scoring four game-winning goals in the 2005–06 season. Subsequently, he signed as a free agent with the San Jose Sharks, where he netted 16 goals in his initial season—including three shorthanded—followed by seasons with nine and ten goals respectively.

Grier returned to Buffalo as a free agent on August 10, 2009. His primary contribution for both San Jose and Buffalo was penalty killing; during his three years with San Jose, their penalty kill ranked 14th, first, and fourth league-wide, while Buffalo finished second overall in penalty killing during the 2009–10 season.

He achieved his 1,000th NHL game appearance on November 3, 2010, becoming only the 254th player to reach this milestone. After Buffalo chose not to offer him a contract for the 2011–12 season, Grier officially retired from professional hockey on December 1, 2011.

Initial positions

Following his retirement from professional play, Grier took on scouting duties for the Chicago Blackhawks and served as an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils. He later joined the New York Rangers in the role of hockey operations advisor, beginning on May 19, 2021.

In addition, Grier contributed to coaching at Saint Sebastian's School, where he attended high school, and also guided his son's Boston Jr. Terriers 03 AAA squad.

General manager of the San Jose Sharks (2022–present)

On July 5, 2022, Grier was named general manager of the San Jose Sharks, marking a historic milestone as the first Black individual to hold a general manager position in NHL history.

Awards and honors

Award	Year
All-Hockey East All-Star	1994–95
AHCA East First-Team All-American	1994–95

Regular season and playoffs

			Regular season					Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1992–93	St. Sebastian's School	ISL	22	16	27	43	32	—	—	—	—	—
1993–94	Boston University	HE	39	9	9	18	58	—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Boston University	HE	37	19	26	45	85	—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	Boston University	HE	38	21	26	47	82	—	—	—	—	—
1996–97	Edmonton Oilers	NHL	79	15	17	32	45	12	3	1	4	4
1997–98	Edmonton Oilers	NHL	66	9	6	15	73	12	2	2	4	13
1998–99	Edmonton Oilers	NHL	82	20	24	44	54	4	1	1	2	6
1999–2000	Edmonton Oilers	NHL	65	9	22	31	68	—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Edmonton Oilers	NHL	74	20	16	36	20	6	0	0	0	8
2001–02	Edmonton Oilers	NHL	82	8	17	25	32
2002–03 NHL season	Washington Capitals	NHL	82	15	17	32	36	6	1	1	2	2
2003–04 NHL season	Washington Capitals	NHL	68	8	12	20	32
2003–04	Buffalo Sabres	NHL	14	1	8	9	4
2005–06 NHL season	Buffalo Sabres	NHL	81	7	16	23	28	18	3	5	8	2
2006–07 NHL season	San Jose Sharks	NHL	81	16	17	33	43	11	2	2	4	27
2007–08 NHL season	San Jose Sharks	NHL	78	9	13	22	24	13	0	1	1	2
2008–09 NHL season	San Jose Sharks	NHL	62	10	13	23	25	6	0	0	0	6
2009-10 NHL season	Buffalo Sabres	NHL	73	10	12	22	14	6	2	0	2	2
2010–11 NHL season	Buffalo Sabres	NHL	73	5	11	16	12	7	0	1	1	0
NHL totals			1,060	162	221	383	510	101	14	14	28	72

International

Year	Team	Tournament	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1995	United States	WJC	7	0	2	2	12
2004	United States	WC	9	1	2	3	8
Junior career totals			7	0	2	2	12
Senior career totals			9	1	2	3	8

External links