Sharks make Grier first Black GM in NHL
The San Jose Sharks' three-month search for a general manager ended with a barrier-breaking hire as the team made longtime NHL forward Mike Grier the first Black GM in league history.
“It means a lot to me,” Grier said at his introductory news conference Tuesday. “It's not something I take lightly. I realize there's a responsibility that comes with the territory. But I'm up for it. How I carry myself and how this organization carries himself, I think we'll do well and hopefully we'll leave a footprint and open some doors for people to follow.”
Grier fills the spot that opened when Doug Wilson stepped away for health reasons on April 7.
Team president Jonathan Becher said Grier emerged from a pool of dozens of candidates because of his experience as a player, scout, coach and executive over the last few decades and his commitment to building a winning culture in San Jose.
But he acknowledged the history-making nature of the hire as well.
“I hope you do serve as an inspiration to lots of people and that I hope you're the first and certainly not the last,” Becher told Grier.
Grier spent three of his 14 seasons in the NHL with the Sharks from 200609. He retired in 2011 after playing 1,060 career games, and has spent time as a scout in Chicago, an assistant coach in New Jersey and most recently the hockey operations advisor for the New York Rangers, where he was given many of the responsibilities of an assistant general manager.
The hire comes less than a week after Will announced that head coach Bob Boughner and three of his assistants wouldn't return next season. Assistant GM Joe Will said he made the move two months after the season ended to give the new general manager a clean slate.
Grier will have to get to work quickly, dealing with the draft Thursday and Friday, the start of free agency next week and the need to hire a coaching staff and build up the front office.
Grier said the draft and free agency are the immediate priorities as well as trying to create more salary cap flexibility if possible before he turns to the coaching search.
“I just think that's a challenge to try to get everything in order as quickly as possible, but still doing it the right way and being thorough,” he said. “It's all a challenge but everything I'm looking forward to.”
• The Coachella Valley Firebirds have hired the American Hockey League's first female assistant coach.
Jessica Campbell is ready for the opportunity.
Campbell, whose hiring was announced Tuesday, has spent the past year working with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL development program and she was an assistant coach with Germany at the IIHF men's world championships.
Coachella Valley is set to begin its first season this fall as the AHL affiliate for the Seattle Kraken.
• Colorado's first big move in what's sure to be a busy offseason was resigning veteran forward Andrew Cogliano to a oneyear deal Tuesday.