San Jose Sharks Mike Grier becomes the first Black general manager in NHL history, Minnesota Wild signs Jake Middleton to a Three-Year Contract, and Cogliano re-signs with Colorado Avalanche; plus, Canadiens and Blues news.
Mike Grier becomes the first Black general manager in NHL history
The San Jose Sharks have officially named Mike Grier, 47, as their general manager, making him the first Black GM in the history of the National Hockey League, NPR reported.
"I am extremely proud and grateful to be given the opportunity to be the general manager of the San Jose Sharks," Grier said in a statement. "Along with my staff, I look forward to the challenge of building a fast, competitive, and hardworking team that Sharks fans will enjoy watching and be proud of."
Grier also played 14 seasons as a player in the NHL, as well as worked as a scout, coach, and executive
Minnesota Wild signs Jake Middleton to a three-year contract
The Minnesota Wild have signed defenseman Jake Middleton, 26, to a three-year, $7.35 million contract extension through the 2024-2025 season. The deal is worth a yearly average of $2.45 million, NHL.com reported.
Last season with the San Jose Sharks and Minnesota, the 6-foot-3, 201-pounder ranked third among NHL rookies in blocked shots and fourth in PIM.
Cogliano re-signs with Colorado Avalanche
Veteran forward Andrew Cogliano, 35, has re-signed a one-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche.
"Obviously, it was a very easy decision on my end," Cogliano said. "It was special; my three months coming into Colorado, being part of the team and winning a Cup."
Cogliano indicated that Executive Vice President/General Manager/Alternate Governor Joe Sakic and Assistant General Manager Chris MacFarland expressed their interest and desire for him to return, NHL.com reported.
"At the end of the day, it was a great opportunity for me to go back to a team that's won and us coming off a championship year and getting an opportunity to go back after the same thing that we just experienced," Cogliano added.
Canadiens announce new team ambassadors
The Montreal Canadiens announced today the addition of four new team ambassadors who will represent the organization at games, events, and other initiatives throughout the greater Montreal region and elsewhere, NHL.com reported.
The four new ambassadors are Hall-of-Famer Guy Carbonneau, as well as Stanley Cup winners Vincent Damphousse, Patrice Brisebois, and Chris Nilan.
They will join current ambassadors Yvan Cournoyer and Rejean Houle.
St. Louis Blues 2022-2023 season schedule
The St. Louis Blues have released their 2022-2023 season schedule with the season opener scheduled for October 15 at home against the Columbus blue jackets. The schedule also features nine home games on Saturday, NHL.com reported. The Blues' regular-season finale will be against the Dallas Stars on April 13.
The Blues schedule can be downloaded here and added to your Apple, Google, Outlook, Exchange, or Yahoo! calendar.