Reports say the San Jose Sharks are hiring Mike Grier, who is poised to be the first black general manager in NHL history. Plus, a preview of the NHL Draft and the top prospects for the overall No. 1 pick.
San Jose Sharks to hire Mike Grier as 1st Black GM in NHL history
According to multiple reports, Mike Grier will soon be named as general manager of the San Jose Sharks. This would make him the first Black man to hold the position of General manager in NHL history.
The hiring has not been confirmed by San Jose as yet, but the Sharks have scheduled a news conference for 2 PM Eastern Time on Tuesday, where the announcement that Grier is the new general manager is expected to be made, ESPN reported.
In his playing career, Grier, 47, spent 14 seasons in the NHL with four different teams, including the Sharks. Grier retired as a player in 2011. He went on to work as a scout for the Chicago Blackhawks from 2014 to 2018. This past season, Grier was operation advisor for the New York Rangers.
Grier would replace interim general manager Joe Will, who took over the role in November after a long time GM Doug Wilson left for medical reasons, stepping down last April after 19 seasons with the Sharks.
NHL draft 2022: Latest updates
On Thursday, July 7, the first round of the NHL draft gets underway at 7 PM ET from the Bell Centre in Montreal. It will be televised on ESPN and ESPN+ in the US.
Canadiens will have No. 1 overall pick
Kent Hughes, general manager for The Montréal Canadiens, said the team is still undecided who they will select for their No. 1 overall pick, telling NHL.com: "We’re trying to evaluate their ability to deal with that type of pressure on a consistent basis." It's the first time the Canadiens have had the No. 1 overall pick in the draft since 1980. The team is considering Wright, Slafkovsky, and Cooley.
Top prospects:
Shane Wright (6', 199 pounds) was No. 1 in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters, despite missing a full season of competitive hockey. The center finished eighth in the Ontario Hockey League with 94 points (32 goals, 62 assists) in 63 games for Kingston.
Juraj Slafkovsky. After his MVP performance at the Olympics, power winger Slafkovsky is now a hot prospect for No. 1. At just 18 years of age, Slafkovsky stands 6' 4" and weighs 229 pounds. He was ranked first in the final ranking of International skaters.
Logan Cooley (5' 10", 180) was ranked second in the final ranking of North American skaters. In addition, the center was second on the USA Hockey National Team Development Program with 75 points (27 goals, 48 assists) in 51 games. At the 2022 IIHF World Under-18 Championship, Cooley helped the US finish second scoring ten points (3 goals, 7 assists) and 6 games.