Grier Named General Manager of San Jose Sharks
July 5, 2022 | Men's Ice Hockey
Grier, who helped lead the Terriers to the 1995 national title, becomes the first Black general manager in the history of the National Hockey League. He is the fourth Terrier to hold a GM post in the NHL, including BU Athletic Hall of Famer Chris Drury ('98), who is the current president and general manager of the New York Rangers. The two others are Paul Fenton ('82) and BU Athletic Hall of Famer Jack Ferreira ('66), who was the Sharks' first-ever general manager.
In his role with the Sharks, Grier will have overall authority regarding all aspects of the Sharks hockey-related operations, including overseeing all player personnel decisions, leading the club's player evaluation process at all professional, minor, and junior levels, negotiating player contracts, directing the club's on-ice coaching and off-ice support staffs, and managing the efforts of the team's scouting department.
Grier served as hockey operations advisor for the Rangers this past season, helping the franchise reach the Eastern Conference Finals. He also served on USA Hockey's selection committee for the 2022 World Championships, where he assisted in scouting, evaluating and selecting players for the U.S. team. Prior to joining the Rangers, Grier was an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils for two seasons (2018-20) and also served as a scout for the Chicago Blackhawks (2014-18), helping them win a Stanley Cup in 2015. From 2013-17, Grier served as an assistant coach at St. Sebastian's Prep School in Needham.
As a player, Grier spent 14 seasons in the National Hockey League as one of the game's top defensive forwards and leaders. He amassed 1,060 NHL games with the Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals, Buffalo Sabres, and the Sharks, collecting 383 points (162 goals, 221 assists). He served as an alternate captain and as a member of the leadership group with each of his NHL teams. A physical, penalty-killing forward annually in the conversation for the Frank J. Selke award, Grier helped establish a top unit on multiple teams, including a League-best penalty kill efficiency on San Jose in 2007-08 (85.8%), fifth-best in 2008-09 and he helped Buffalo achieve the second-best efficiency in 2009-10 (86.6%). During his NHL tenure between 1996-2011, Grier tied for 11th amongst all NHL players with 20 short-handed goals.
Prior to his NHL career, Grier played three seasons at BU, compiling 120 points (59 goals, 61 assists) in 114 games. In addition to winning a national title, Grier helped BU win two Beanpots and two Hockey East Tournament titles. During that historic 1994-95 season, Grier was a Hockey East First Team All-Star, a First Team All-American, a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award and the recipient of the Walter Brown Award as the best U.S.-born collegiate player in New England.
