The San Jose Sharks will announce Mike Grier as their new general manager on Tuesday, Sportsnet can confirm, becoming the first Black man in NHL history to hold the position.
Grier, 47, played 14 seasons in the NHL beginning in 1996, three of them with the Sharks. His last season was with the Buffalo Sabres and he retired from playing in 2011.
Grier replaces interim GM Mike Will, who took over when Doug Wilson stepped away in November of 2021 for medical reasons. Wilson had held the position for 19 years and resigned in April.
The Detroit-born, but Massachusetts-raised Grier has held various non-playing positions since retiring. He spent two seasons behind the bench as an assistant with the New Jersey Devils from 2018 to 2020. A year ago, he was hired as an adviser to hockey operations for the New York Rangers. He has also served as a scout for the Chicago Blackhawks between 2014 and 2018.
