Music: {allcanada} NHL veteran Grier announces retirement

Thursday, December 1, 2011

{allcanada} NHL veteran Grier announces retirement

Mike Grier, who played 14 seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals, Buffalo Sabres and San Jose Sharks, announced his retirement from the NHL on Thursday.

Grier, 36, appeared in 1,060 regular-season games, recording 162 goals and 221 assists. He also played in 101 Stanley Cup playoff games, as his teams qualified for the postseason in 11 of his 14 seasons in the League.

"I was very fortunate to be able to play 14 seasons in the NHL with some great players," said Grier. "The memories and friendships that I have built during my time in the League will last a lifetime. I would like to thank my former teammates, family and fans for helping make my career so memorable for me. It was a great ride, and I am now excited and looking forward to my post-playing future."

Grier was born in Detroit and raised in the Boston area. His dedication enabled him to become one of the first hockey players of African-American descent who was born, raised and trained in the United States to play in the NHL.

Grier was drafted in the ninth round of the 1993 Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues, but was traded to the Edmonton Oilers while attending Boston University. Grier accumulated 120 points in 114 games played over his three seasons at BU, and was named a Hobey Baker Award finalist, an NCAA East First-Team All-American and helped the Terriers win an NCAA championship in 1995.

Grier broke into the NHL during the 1996-97 season with the Edmonton Oilers, totaling 15 goals and 17 assists in 79 games. He spent six seasons in Edmonton, posting two 20-goal seasons, before being traded to Washington. Grier would stay with the Capitals for parts of two seasons, before being dealt at the trade deadline in 2004 to the Buffalo Sabres. He was a member of the Sabres during their run to the 2005-06 Eastern Conference Finals.

He signed with San Jose as a free agent in the summer of 2006 and spent three seasons with the Sharks, making a trip to the playoffs in each of those seasons. He returned to Buffalo as a free-agent in 2009 and played the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons -- the final two of his career -- with the Sabres.