Sharks Add 5 to Hockey Ops; Potenza Joining Warriors, Burke Now Advisor

The San Jose Sharks continue to add to their hockey operations department.

Tom Holy has been named the Assistant General Manager, Scott Fitzgerald has been named the Director of Player Personnel, Todd Marchant has been named the Director of Player Development, Chris Morehouse has been named the Director of Amateur Scouting, and Ryan Stewart has been named Pro Personnel Senior Advisor.

Tom Holy, formerly VP of Communications and Broadcasting for the Dallas Stars, is now the Assistant General Manager. According to the San Jose Sharks’ press release, he “will oversee the analytics department, staff budgeting and contracts. He will be the liaison between the Sharks Hockey Operations and Business departments, along with the NHL scheduling for the team.”

It’s a coming home for Holy, who was the Sharks’ media relations manager from 2005 to 2013. GM Mike Grier, of course, played on the Sharks from 2006 to 2009.

Grier also announced today that Tim Burke, who’s been with the Sharks in a variety of scouting roles since 1992-93, has been moved from Assistant General Manager to a Senior Advisor/Scout position.

Joe Will will stay on as Assistant General Manager and San Jose Barracuda GM. He and Holy will handle the CBA and contracts together.

There will be additional analytics hires who will report to Holy.

Scott Fitzgerald, formerly Chief College Scout for the Boston Bruins, is now the Director of Player Personnel. According to the San Jose Sharks’ press release, Fitzgerald “will focus on pro and amateur scouting, including potential top-two round selections at the NHL Draft and college free agents.”

Fitzgerald has been with the Bruins since 2006 and was a Columbus Blue Jackets scout from 1999 to 2006. His brother Tom is the GM of the New Jersey Devils.

Todd Marchant, formerly Director of Player Personnel and Player Development for the Anaheim Ducks, is now the Director of Player Development, Senior Advisor. He will oversee the San Jose Sharks’ player development department.

Marchant has been Director of Player Development for the Ducks since 2010. He also played with Grier on the Edmonton Oilers from 1996 to 2002 and won a Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007.

Chris Morehouse, formerly Director of North American Scouting for the New York Rangers, is now the Director of Amateur Scouting. He will oversee the Draft and San Jose’s amateur scouting staff.

Morehouse has been with the Rangers since 2019. Grier was a Rangers advisor this past season before the Sharks tapped him to be their GM.

Expect the San Jose Sharks to add more amateur scouts with the retirements of Gilles Cote and Brian Gross.

Ryan Stewart, formerly Assistant General Manager of the Chicago Blackhawks, is now the Pro Personnel Senior Advisor. He will be in charge of pro staff in North America and Europe.

Stewart has been with the Blackhawks since 2006 in a variety of roles, winning Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013, and 2015. Grier was a scout in the Chicago organization from 2014 to 2018.

Grier also noted that the organization will need to add a new Director of Strength and Conditioning. Mike Potenza, who has been with the San Jose Sharks since 2006, is joining the NBA’s Golden State Warriors in an unspecified capacity.

Potenza is considered one of the top strength and conditioning coaches in the NHL, and has been credited for helping extend the careers of veterans like Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, and Brent Burns. The recently-retired Marleau holds the all-time NHL record with 1,779 games played.

Besides perhaps Potenza’s role, Grier noted that San Jose Sharks’ hockey ops are done this off-season with hirings at the director level.

Next up? David Quinn will need to fill out his coaching staff.

San Jose Hockey Now broke last week that Ryan Warsofsky was joining Quinn’s staff, expect that hire to be made official soon.

SOURCE: Sharks Hiring Warsofsky as Assistant Coach