Mike Grier

Mike Grier
Date of birth	5th January 1975
place of birth	Detroit , Michigan , USA
size	185 cm
Weight	101 kg
position	Right wing
number	# 25
Shot hand	Right
Draft
NHL Entry Draft	1993 , 9th lap, 219th position St. Louis Blues
Career stations
1993-1996	Boston University
1996-2002	Edmonton Oilers
2002-2004	Washington Capitals
2004-2006	Buffalo Sabers
2006-2009	San Jose Sharks
2009-2011	Buffalo Sabers

Michael James Grier (born January 5, 1975 in Detroit , Michigan ) is a former American ice hockey player and current coach who played 1161 games for the Edmonton Oilers , Washington Capitals , Buffalo Sabers during his playing career between 1993 and 2011 and San Jose Sharks in the National Hockey League on the position of right winger . In addition to Jarome Iginla and Anson Carter , Grier was one of the most prominent players of African-American origin in the NHL during his playing days . Since 2018 he has been the assistant coach of the New Jersey Devils .

Career

Grier in the jersey of the San Jose Sharks

Grier was selected in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues in the ninth round in 219th position. The following fall, he began his college career at Boston University . His best year there was in the 1994/95 championship season, which earned him both a nomination for the league's all-star team and a nomination for the 1995 World Junior Championship . During his college days, the rights to Grier's NHL engagement were transferred from the St. Louis Blues along with those of Curtis Joseph to the Edmonton Oilers for a series of high draft voting rights .

For the 1996/97 season Grier got a place in the squad of the Oilers, where he was used regularly. He stayed in the Canadian metropolis for a total of six years and reached 20 goals in two seasons. He was also part of a record number of dark-skinned players in the team, along with Anson Carter , Sean Brown , Georges Laraque and Joaquin Gage . Grier's time in Edmonton ended at the beginning of the 2002–03 season when he was given up for second and third round draft voting rights in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft to the Washington Capitals to save costs and make room for young players. The capital city was just about to build a playoff-compatible team around the players Jaromír Jágr and Olaf Kölzig . The Capitals' plan did not work out, but this was not due to Grier's performance. After less than two seasons he was given up in March 2004 for the European talent Jakub Klepiš to the Buffalo Sabers .

Because the Buffalo Sabers missed qualification for the playoffs, Grier was nominated for the US national team to represent them at the 2004 World Cup . He returned to Buffalo with a bronze medal in his luggage. During the lockout - 2004/05 presented Grier Hockey play, but signed for season 2005/06 a new one-year contract in Buffalo. At the end of a successful season for him and the team, he became an unrestricted free agent .

During the summer break, he received offers from a total of eight NHL teams. Ultimately, he decided to work for three years with the San Jose Sharks , where he was one of three assistant captains since the 2007/08 season . During his three years in San Jose the striker filled a defensive role and knew how to convince with a lot of commitment and willingness to run. Nevertheless, the management did not extend his contract after the 2008/09 season , so that Grier found a new employer in August 2009 in his ex-club, the Buffalo Sabers. There the 34-year-old signed a one-year contract. At the beginning of December 2011, Grier declared his active career over.

Since the beginning of the 2014/15 season , Grier has been working as a scout for the Chicago Blackhawks from the NHL. For the 2018/19 season he switched to the coaching staff of the New Jersey Devils and is now active as an assistant to John Hynes .

Achievements and Awards

1994 Hockey East Championship with Boston University 1995 Hockey East Championship with Boston University 1995 Hockey East First All-Star Team

1995 NCAA East First All-American Team 1995 NCAA Division I Championship with Boston University

International

• 2004 bronze medal at the world championship

Career statistics

				Regular season						Play-offs
season	team	league		Sp	T	V	Pt	SM		Sp	T	V	Pt	SM
1993/94	Boston University	NCAA		39	9	9	18th	58
1994/95	Boston University	NCAA		37	29	26th	55	85
1995/96	Boston University	NCAA		38	21st	26th	47	82
1996/97	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		79	15th	17th	32	45		12	3	1	4th	4th
1997/98	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		66	9	6th	15th	73		12	2	2	4th	13
1998/99	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		82	20th	24	44	54		4th	1	1	2	6th
1999/00	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		65	9	22nd	31	68		-	-	-	-	-
2000/01	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		74	20th	16	36	20th		6th	0	0	0	8th
2001/02	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		82	8th	17th	25th	32		-	-	-	-	-
2002/03	Washington Capitals	NHL		82	15th	17th	32	36		6th	1	1	2	2
2003/04	Washington Capitals	NHL		68	8th	12	20th	32		-	-	-	-	-
2003/04	Buffalo Sabers	NHL		14th	1	8th	9	4th		-	-	-	-	-
2004/05	Buffalo Sabers	NHL		not played because of lockout
2005/06	Buffalo Sabers	NHL		81	7th	16	23	28	18th	3	5	8th	2
2006/07	San Jose Sharks	NHL		81	16	17th	33	43	11	2	2	4th	27
2007/08	San Jose Sharks	NHL		78	9	13	22nd	24	13	0	1	1	2
2008/09	San Jose Sharks	NHL		62	10	13	23	25th	6th	0	0	0	6th
2009/10	Buffalo Sabers	NHL		73	10	12	22nd	14th	6th	2	0	2	2
2010/11	Buffalo Sabers	NHL		73	5	11	16	27	7th	0	1	1	0
NCAA overall				114	59	61	120	225
NHL overall				1060	162	221	383	510	101	14th	14th	28	72

International

Represented the USA at:

• Junior World Championship 1995
• World Championship 2004

year	team	event	result		Sp	T	V	Pt	SM
1995	United States	June World Cup	5th place		7th	0	2	2	12
2004	United States	WM			9	1	2	3	8th
Juniors overall					7th	0	2	2	12
Men overall					9	1	2	3	8th

( Legend for player statistics: Sp or GP = games played; T or G = goals scored; V or A = assists scored ; Pkt or Pts = scorer points scored ; SM or PIM = penalty minutes received ; +/− = plus / minus balance; PP = overpaid goals scored ; SH = underpaid goals scored ; GW = winning goals scored; ¹  play-downs / relegation )

Web links

Commons : Mike Grier  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Mike Grier at legendsofhockey.net (English)
• Mike Grier at eliteprospects.com (English)