A former Buffalo Sabre has made NHL history.
Mike Grier has been selected to become the general manager of the San Jose Sharks. He becomes the first Black man to be a GM in the league's 104-year history.
On Friday, it was announced that Sharks coach Bob Boughner and his staff had been fired two months after the regular season ended, a move the team said it made to clear the decks for the next general manager to pick new leadership behind the bench.
“We just came to the conclusion that, amongst everything else, we just want this fresh start moving forward with a general manager and a head coach,” Interim General Manager Joe Will said during a video news conference. “That will also create the opportunity for the general manager to find their head coach and partner up with them moving forward.”
The Sharks were left without a GM after Doug Wilson stepped down. Wilson spent nearly two decades in the role.
Grier played parts of four seasons in Buffalo. He also played for the Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals and the San Jose Sharks before retiring from the Sabres in 2011.
In addition, Grier served as hockey operations advisor for the New York Rangers.
Grier comes from a family of successful sports executives. His brother, Chris, serves as general manager of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, and his father, Bobby, served as a longtime coach and front office executive for the New England Patriots and Houston Texans.
The NHL has been stressing diversity with several women also getting opportunities in front office positions and on coaching staffs.
The Arizona Coyotes announced Tuesday that Kelsey Koelzer and Kori Cheverie will serve as coaches under head coach André Tourigny during the team’s development program next week.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.