Mike Grier

About

As both the first African-American NHL player to train exclusively in the United States, and the league's first black general manager, of the San Jose Sharks, Grier's latest accomplishment comes after having played 14 seasons for four different NHL teams and as one of the league's top defensive players.

Before Fame

Grier comes from a family of distinguished professional athletes and was raised in Holliston, Massachusetts, where he attended and played hockey at St. Sebastian's School. So, given his lineage, it didn't take long before the media took note: at only 9 years old, he appeared in Sports Illustrated's "Faces In The Crowd" section in 1984.

Trivia

When he played his 1,000th NHL game on November 3, 2010, against the Boston Bruins, he became the 254th player in NHL history to reach that mark.

Family Life

His father Bobby Grier was a running backs coach, director of pro scouting, and vice-president of player personnel for the NFL's New England Patriots and later associate director of pro scouting for the Houston Texans. Grier's brother Chris serves as the general manager for the Miami Dolphins. But the most notable athlete in the family is Pro Bowl NFL defensive lineman Roosevelt "Rosey" Grier, who had a standout football career as well as plenty of film, TV, and commercial work after he retired from sports.

Associated With

During his time with the Washington Capitals, he played alongside legendary forward Jaromir Jagr.