According to reports from both Chris Johnston and Pierre LeBrun, the San Jose Sharks are expected to name Mike Grier as their new general manager (GM) on Tuesday.
The Sharks brass have been searching for a new GM since Doug Wilson stepped down in April, and after a lengthy process it appears they have gotten their guy. That process included interviews with all sorts of candidates, though it had been widely reported for the last week that it came down to a competition between Grier and another well known former NHLer in Ray Whitney.
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For Grier, this will be his first time in the GM position, though he has remained in the game since retiring after the 2010-11 season. Prior to this expected hiring by the Sharks, he served as a hockey operations advisor for the New York Rangers, and was also an assistant coach for the New Jersey Devils from 2018-2020.
One thing many have brought up with this apparent decision is that the Sharks chose to give the job to someone lacking experience. At this point and time there are several candidates available with lengthy resumes that include plenty of front office work, including some former GMs. If this were the Sharks brass simply trying to bring fresh perspectives to the organization, that would be one thing, though it doesn’t exactly sound as though that was the case.
According to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, Sharks owner Hasso Plattner has been a huge part of the hiring process, and turned several potential candidates off. Seravalli mentioned that Plattner made it clear he has no interest in a rebuild and wants to return to the playoffs immediately, which will be a very tough task for Grier given the state the roster is currently in.
Not only do they have a number of aging veterans on bad contracts, but there isn’t a ton of young talent in their lineup right now, either. Simply put, this is a team that may continue to struggle over the next few seasons, and given Plattern’s unrealistic expectations means it could prove to be a tough gig for Grier. That said, he has to be thrilled at the opportunity, and perhaps he will be able to prove many wrong and get the Sharks back to contending status in short time.
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