Mike Grier will be named general manager of the San Jose Sharks.
On Tuesday (July 5), ESPN reported the news, citing multiple sources. The hiring is a historic one for the National Hockey League as Grier will become the first Black man in NHL history to hold the position of General Manager for a team.
The NHL is the last of the four major American sports leagues to hire a Black person to be a general manager as the NFL did so 20 years ago, and the NBA and MLB did so in the 1970s.
While the Sharks have not confirmed Grier's hiring, a scheduled news conference to reportedly formally announce the news is set for 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday. The team teased the news on social media on Monday (July 4), writing, “What’s everyone doing tomorrow at 11 a.m. PT? We’d love to formally introduce someone to you all. Check back with us then for a live stream. Sleep well, besties!”
The 47-year-old former NHL star, who was most recently the New York Rangers' hockey operations adviser, played 14 seasons in the NHL for four different teams, including the Sharks, before retiring in 2011. Prior to his time with the Rangers, Grier was a scout for the Chicago Blackhawks from 2014 to 2018.
Grier is set to replace Sharks interim GM Joe Will, who took over in November when longtime GM Doug Wilson left the team because of medical reasons in April after 19 seasons with the club, ESPN reports.
As noted by the outlet, Grier's reported hiring announcement will come our days after the Sharks fired head coach Bob Boughner and his staff.