It certainly was a memorable day for Mike Grier.
The 14-year NHL veteran officially was announced as the Sharks' new general manager on Tuesday, becoming the first Black GM in NHL history.
After Sharks president Jonathan Becher and assistant general manager Joe Will formally introduced Grier to fans and media at SAP Center, Grier was asked about the history he made on Tuesday.
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"It's something that I'm extremely proud of," Grier told reporters. "Since my playing days, the league itself has gotten more and more diverse with more Black players in the league and minorities in the league. There's more women and minorities in the front office and scouting and coaching positions. From my standpoint, that's something that I'm happy to see and excited to see."
First and foremost, Grier is focused on helping to construct a competitive Sharks team, one that will end San Jose's three-year playoff drought and eventually return to competing for Stanley Cups. Grier hopes that his success in the position will open more doors for minorities throughout the game of hockey.
"And for me, my job is to do the best I can for the San Jose Sharks organization and if I do that, hopefully, it opens the door to give other opportunities to other minorities to get in front office positions and maybe lead a team down the road as well," Grier added.
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Grier will hit the ground running as the Sharks continue their search for a new head coach and prepare for the 2022 NHL Draft, which is set to begin on Thursday.
The work is just getting started, but Grier and the Sharks can take a moment to appreciate the history they made on Tuesday afternoon.
