San Jose Sharks
SPECULATION: Mike Grier for Sharks GM?
Mike Grier, San Jose Sharks…general manager?
That’s the latest speculation from Elliotte Friedman, who made sure to say that he doesn’t know if Grier has actually interviewed for the position.
“I had a suggestion today. It makes a lot of sense actually because he played there. I know they were interested in some people who have played there. [It] was Mike Grier,” Friedman said on “The Jeff Marek Show” today at about roughly the 21:30 mark. “Someone said to me – we know they interviewed Ray Whitney from the league, and he of course was a Shark – I know one thing they were looking at, people who kind of know their organization a bit.
“They do want to talk to some people who know the area and know the organization.”
Grier is Hockey Operations Advisor for the New York Rangers. He was a New Jersey Devils assistant coach from 2018-20 and a Chicago Blackhawks scout from 2015-18.
The bruising winger played on the San Jose Sharks from 2006-09, and totaled 1,060 NHL regular season games with San Jose, Edmonton, Washington, and Buffalo.
The Sharks’ connection is interesting, but in my opinion, of dubious value.
Whitney, indeed, skated for San Jose, but this was from 1991 to 1997. How much does that experience, literally 25 years ago, make him a successful GM?
I’m not saying Grier or Whitney won’t make outstanding GMs, but that’s not going to be reason why.
Following the thread though, unconfirmed GM candidates Mathieu Darche, Scott Nichol, and John Ferguson Jr. all have experience in San Jose.
Darche played the 2006-07 season in the San Jose Sharks organization, spending most of his time in AHL Worcester and playing two games with the big club. He’s now an assistant GM for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Nichol played in San Jose from 2009-11. He’s now an assistant GM for the Nashville Predators.
Ferguson Jr. was Sharks’ director of pro scouting from 2008-14. He’s now an assistant GM for the Arizona Coyotes.
Grier joins an eclectic list of possible Sharks GM candidates like Whitney, Darche, Nichol, Ferguson Jr., agent Allain Roy, Rangers AGM Ryan Martin, Kevin Weekes, Seattle Kraken AGM Jason Botterill, Meghan Chayka, Mike Gillis, Colorado Avalanche AGM Chris MacFarland, and Carolina Hurricanes AGM Eric Tulsky.
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Perhaps they should hire an assistant General Manager who had a major role in the success of an NHL hockey team; somebody with expertise in evaluating players. A few are available. Makes sense.
The Sharks need major changes, including the person responsible for draft selections.
The HockeyWriters.com moved the San Jose farm system from #22 to #7, I don’t believe it. They like to draft small forwards high in the draft, who can’t do much on defense; they can pass the puck with skill but not score goals.
Wait, what? Pretty much everyone I’ve seen talking about it has been extremely happy with how the Sharks have drafted since junior took over as the head of scouting. He had significant input in 2017 as director of hockey operations when they got Norris at 19, a 1C in Ottawa who just had a 35 goal season, Ferraro in the second, Reedy in the 4th (no 3rd), Chmelevski in the 6th, and Chekhovic in the 7th. They might not have all panned out, but the only one that hasn’t played an NHL game is McGrew who was also picked in… Read more »
Whoops, I typed this on my phone and didn’t notice some autocorrects. Gushchin became Gushing, Coe became Come.
2019, don’t forget Kniazev. 2018 may end up being a black mark, don’t blame anybody for Merkley, it was a good gamble, but Karlsson may be the best bet for a decent player at this rate.
With Bordelou and Eklund we’ve moved way up.
Why? SJS needs a guy with experience. Crazy to experiment for the sake of experiment.
This is just a prospective conversation — won’t call it crazy yet