Training Camp (9/18): Mike Grier

Training Camp (9/18): Mike Grier

Speaking of Mlin, just as we’re talking about him, just what are your sort of expectations for him uh this year? Yeah, I mean, it’s like everyone, I just you just want to see some growth and and some strides in their games in the areas that, you know, he needs to improve on and the coaches have asked for him to improve on. So, um you know, you just want to see him growth and continue to develop and build his game and continue to get more and more confident in in himself and in in uh in playing in the league. Do you think that he can make the Canadian Olympic team? I think he’s got a shot. I mean, it’s obviously um you know, a talented country and talented roster, but um you know, wouldn’t be surprised special players like him often, you know, find their way onto teams like that. What can he learn? Just learn from that experience though a couple weeks ago being around, you know, even at the World Championships being line mates with McCannan and Crosby and obviously being around guys like McDavid and and uh those guys at Calgary a couple weeks ago. Yeah, I think I mean he’s a sponge. Um you know he like I said he always wants to get better and see what he can do more and pick guys brains. So I, you know, talking to him after World Championships, you know, I think he just loved being around, you know, Sid and and Nate and those guys and seeing the routines and what they do and how they attack certain situations and and things like that. And then he went to skate with them as well. And um so I think he’s just a sponge. I think he’s learned a lot from those guys. I think he enjoys being around around them and seeing their habits and their mindset and and um you know, things they do on a daily basis and and prepare themselves. So, um, you know, I think it’s been great great for him. I’m I’m sure he talked to a bunch of guys at their orientation camp, but, um, it’s nothing new for him. I think he’s been, you know, picking stuff in Draymond’s brains for for years. So, I think that’s just kind of how he’s wired to always try and try and get better. What’s u what was your message to the group yesterday and how was it different maybe from, you know, previous years? Uh I mean I I just think for the most part it’s guys um you know from our standpoint is just you know take us try and take a step forward as a group and and start earning you know earning everything earning respect around the league from you know other teams and players and coaches and officials and fan bases and all that stuff. So then, you know, for the group themselves to, you know, the things they want to accomplish individually or whether that’s being in the NHL or being in the on the power play or the penalty kill, then um you know, just kind of go out there and earn it. I think there’s a lot of bodies here. There’s good players here. There’s a mix of young guys and veterans. So, um, you know, we had some internal competition last year, but I think it’s it’s way more of a factor this year that the the talent and the group we have here of, um, the amount of internal competition we have. So, guys are they want to be here and and want certain roles or, you know, they’re just going to have to go out there and earn it. If guys um, show they’re ready. Like even like like Mike said Dickinson, you just talking to Ryan, he was really impressed with, you know, with Musty today. you know, if those guys show that they they they can help his team this year, I mean, will they would there be any hesitation to maybe put some other guys on waiverss or just, you know, look to trade guys to try to make room for them or how do you Yeah. No, no, there would be uh, you know, no hesitation on our part. If those are the best players and the most deserving players to be here, then um and we think they can help us win games and and they’re ready to kind of learn and develop and play in the NHL level, then, you know, that’s what the opportunity will give them and we’ll figure out the rest whether that’s, you know, some of those options that you mentioned. We’ll figure it out. If those guys show that they’re they’re ready and and deserve to be up here. Ryan told us that you helped create that earn it slogan that’s going through right now. You mentioned the internal competition since you’ve become GM of the Sharks. that’s kind of been what you’ve been bringing. Is this kind of what you envisioned a Sharks training camp to be like? And do you hope to continue this, you know, as this team grows into more of a playoff contending team? Yeah, for sure. I mean, when I think that’s how it should be in the NHL or the NBA or NFL, it should be um when you come to training camp, you you got to earn your spot. Um and here it’s gotten a little bit better every year, you know, from the first year to now. um you know guys had kind of default playing time over the last couple years but um last year was better there was more competition last year um and this year it’s there’s even more so um you know that’s the goal I think to keep building it where you know you have options and you have people where you know to play and get in the lineup is extremely difficult you know you look at you know Florida’s obviously the standard right now but you know they got a player like you know Stury was here. We all know how um you know competitive and role role player and a solid role player in this league and Mackie Seiskevich those guys could not get in the lineup. So um those guys are legit real NHL players and they couldn’t get in the lineup there. So that’s the goal to have a you know have a a group in that locker room that every day has to push each other um and really earn their ice time and earn their spot. So, um, you know, we got a long way to go to get there, obviously, but, um, that’s the goal. I know you told us at the end of the last season at exit, it’s about, you know, there’s a lot of time to name a captain. We’re here now. I mean, is there a plan to I mean, even if it’s not been done yet, but is there a plan to maybe name uh someone a captain by the start of the season? Uh, I think Warso and I are still, we’re kind of still working through the leadership group. Um, you know, there’s a lot of new faces here as well. So, um, want to see how some of these guys work, how they interact with their teammates and and things like that. So, um, I don’t really have any anything new to add beyond that for the captaincy, but um, I think we we got some good vets who’ve won a lot of hockey games, won some Stanley Cups, been on winning teams. So, um, we just want to kind of see how it all mixes and and matches and meshes together. And you had said last year that you would be comfortable uh going another season without I know Logan was the captain last year but wasn’t around as much. So going another season without a captain. Does that still hold true that if that were to happen that you have no issue with that? Yeah. I mean, if that’s the case, if if we kind of feel like uh you know, it’s it’s not something I want to rush or push. Um we want to make sure when we make that decision to to hand off the captaincy to someone else that um you know, it’s something that uh you know, we’re 100% behind and and and think it’s hopefully something that you know, lasts a long time. Last April when we talked to you mentioned that the plan at the time was that Will Smith would play center this year. I know a lot has happened since April, so I’m not holding you to that, but uh can you kind of speak to the decision though to kind of um uh put Smith back on the wing uh for maybe most of this year? Yeah, Smitty and I talked I know um you know throughout the off season and um you know I think you know he could play we could put him in the middle tomorrow. He can play center in his sleep, right? He’s played it he’s been in the middle since he’s 6 years old. Um, so we just kind of thought that to continue to give us the option of him being a winger to keep learning. Um, you know, I think he kind of took off the second half of the year. He got a little bit more and more comfortable on the wing. So, um, you know, I thought we we would just kind of keep him there and keep growing that kind of that tool for him. Um, you know, like it’s said, it’s been done in the past where that’s Patty or Pav or or Hurdle where you always know they can go back in the middle. um but to keep kind of growing his game on the wing. You know, last year was the first time he’s ever he’s ever played wing and we throw him into it in the NHL on top of it. So, um to give him some more reps there. Um and obviously he did well and it just gives us some options there. Him and Mack obviously have really good chemistry together. Gives us some options there and gives us some options in the middle. Um you know, as far as me and and Kersev and stuff like that as well. Just a question about contracts. guys are pumping up against the 50 limit here. It seems to be a question about whether, you know, if Misa and Dickinson are here for the year, does that mean you need to move someone out to to stay under 50 or uh I mean, yeah, I mean, come I think that’s a kind of a a bridge we’ll we’ll cross when we get there, but um yeah, we’ll we’ll have to move a contract at some point if if both those guys are ready. Is Turner Shaw slide eligible? Is that the deal? I I see different uh I’d have to ask to be honest with you. Joe’s Joe’s the uh Joe’s the guy on that. Joe’s Joe’s dialed in on all that stuff. I have to ask I may have to ask him on that. I want to ask you about another technicality. We’ve heard contrasting things about this. So maybe you can kind of set the record straight. Um there was a report that um 19-year-old players, CHL players could play in the AHL this year. Possibly that was a possibility. I know that that’s part of next year, like that people think that’s going to happen next year, but is that still a conversation for this year or has it been put to rest that that’s not going to happen this year? A guy like Sam Dickinson, he cannot play in AHL time this year. Yeah, that’s uh you know, I think that whole thing with the CHL and everything is still kind of being worked through, but it’s not it’s not an option for this year. Okay. How much would that have been maybe beneficial for Sam, right? That’s a guy who is around the team and having the team here in San Jose, you can bring him up for maybe a little bit just having that experience rather than maybe go back to to juniors where he’s won and done just about everything there. Yeah, I think um you know, you get kind of the rare instance of these guys who’ve almost accomplished everything they can accomplish at the junior level. So, you know, giving them the next challenge to playing against men would would uh you know, obviously be beneficial. So, we’ll see where Sam kind of where Sam’s camp takes him. Was that something that you guys were pushing for for that to happen this year? And kind of why didn’t it happen this year when it was, you know, rumored that it could happen? Yeah, I mean, I think that to be honest, I think that was kind of you guys like the media kind of throwing it out that it once they saw some of the other changes that might happen, I don’t think it was ever really seriously discussed for this year. Mark Edward Lassic had a seemed to be pretty upset about how things were handled in terms of his his bio. It didn’t seem like that at the time when he talked to us. He said you handled it with a lot of class, but then he came out a few weeks ago in Quebec City and kind of said that he wished that things been handled differently. I’m just curious what your reaction to that was. Yeah, I mean I he’s a proud proud guy and proud player, so I kind of get that it probably stings a little bit. I got nothing but respect for for um for Pickles. You know, he was I enjoyed playing with him. Um you know, he’s obviously a great representative of the organization and everything. So, um you know, I I if he feels slighted or misled, I think uh you know, I that wasn’t ever my intention or our intention. I from my standpoint, I’m I’m pretty I’m I’m fine with how I handle our exit meeting. I I was pretty kind of upfront with them about where things were. From my from my end it now, if you talk to someone else, I don’t know. But from my end, I’m pretty I’m pretty I feel fine about how we handled it. And then, you know, we you know, we gave them a little heads up once once we decided that was going to we were going to go down that path. you know, I I had a really good conversation with him and his agent um and kind of explained every everything and the reasonings why we were we decided to go that route. So, um, you know, like I said, I I, uh, I understand like, you know, you’re been in such so successful in this league for a long time and been with one organization and had a great run and been a great player here that um, you know, it probably stings a little bit. Um, and uh, and I get it, but um, you know, at the end of the day, my job is to do what’s best for the organization. And, um, you know, that’s the that’s the decision um, you know, we made and you know, I wish him all the best and and uh, you know, in his career and in his life after hockey and, you know, at some point I’m I’m sure we’d like to get him back here to celebrate him at some point. Yeah. because he said I think he said um you know he was under the impression anyway after that ex interview that you guys maybe wanted him back and but was that ever said or I mean I mean I’m I’m not going to I don’t want to get into a like a he said she she said type situation. I I’ll just say like I said I’m very like happy and and fine with how I ended the meeting with them. Um I thought I was pretty pretty clear. um about you know the possibilities of of things. So um you know if he kind of mistook you know some words from myself for the coaches and you know that was never our intention to not be be upfront with him and to his point we did um appreciate the time he and the effort he spent to try and mentor some of our young guys. We’re very appreciative of that and and the attitude he had throughout um you know the last couple years and even though he’s battled injuries the last two years he you know he put the work in and and everything. So I appreciate his attitude and we didn’t have any you know issues of anything like that. It was just a decision. Um, I had to make what I thought was best in the organizations, you know, especially after, you know, you watch Sam tear through the Memorial Cup playoffs and the OHL playoffs, then, um, you know, we had to have a discussion here and and see which path we wanted to go down and unfortunately, you know, that’s the decision we made, but we felt like it was best for the organization. We were just talking with uh well, we talked with Mario a little bit earlier and he said that there really hasn’t been much discussion about an extension, you know, for him and obviously he’s the longest tenure sharp now. It seems like it’s kind of weird to say, but um you know, I mean, how do you how do you evaluate things in terms of whether or not that’s a guy you’d like to keep around or maybe um you know, with if the if the Sharks aren’t in in the playoff pitcher in a couple in a few months here, maybe maybe a guy you might want to try to deal to a contender. Yeah, I mean, for the most part, it’s just kind of keeping the options open. Um you know, Mario is someone I got a ton of respect for. Um, you know, he’s almost willedled himself into being a a really good NHL player. Um, team guy, works his tail off in great condition, so all the time. So, I got a ton of respect for him, how he plays the game and how he carries himself. Um, you know, from our standpoint, it’s it’s really just keeping options open. It’s nothing, you know, against him or anything like that. There’s, you know, for the last year’s there’s been a lot of interest in him throughout the league. And um so you know I got to see how the see how the season goes really and and see where it takes us and and see how how he plays and all that stuff. So it’s uh you know it’s kind of kind of fluid and I’ll we’ll just kind of see how it goes and I’ll keep in touch with him and keep in touch with his agent and we’ll just kind of see how things go from there. Fair to say that that goes for pretty much everybody who’s going to be a UFA next year I guess. Yeah. I mean I um like I don’t want to keep tearing the roster down year after year. So um you know some of these guys if they play well and they like it here then um and they’re a good fit with our group then you know I definitely open to bringing some of those guys back and extending them. So, um, but at the same time, you just never you just never know what’s going to come your way. If guys play well and other teams call, you know, whether it’s, you know, something like Wall-E or anything like that, when stuff comes up, you know, you just have to where we are right now, you just have to listen. Um, so just kind of keeping options open really. It is day one of camp, but after today, were there things that like stuck out to you or surprised you from like a person or plays or anything like that? Um, no. I just I really like the pace and the compete and um the physicality actually of of the practice today. I think um guys went out there, they they uh for first day camp, I think they really got after it and were physical and the intensity and the compete level was high. So, um I was really happy with that. I think uh you know for the group I think they they kind of got the message and um you know I think they were all excited out there. So I was really really pleased with the tempo and and the pace and and the intensity of the of all all three sessions. What makes this group different from past ones? Um, I think it’s a it’s a it’s a pretty good mix of of the kind of the young exuberance of Mack and Will and and Sam and some of these other young guys are so excited to be out there and being in NHL camp and try and make the team and show what they can do. Um, you know, Mace is out there, you know, picking everyone’s brain and Ekki, you know, Ekie is still a young guy. You could see him. He was buzzing buzzing today and he’s excited. And then we have the mix of guys who have won Stanley Stanley Cups and had long playoff runs um you know or love and in TOE and Revo some of these guys guys who have been on long playoff runs and been on really good teams. Um, so I I just think it’s a it’s kind of a it’s a good mix and guys and I think everyone seems to be happy to be here. I guess that would maybe be the main thing. Um, I think from my first year to even last year, I think guys have there’s always been guys who have kind of been not looking for the door, but maybe looking for greener pastures a little bit. And this is probably the first year where I don’t feel like that. I feel like guys are wanting to be here, excited to be here, um, wanting to be part of this, and I think they see kind of some of it, see what could possibly be going on with some of the talent of the young guys. And I think, um, it makes people excited. So, I would say that’s kind of the main difference. I I don’t think anyone’s here is feeling sorry for themselves or trying to go to a better team or or or something like that. I think everyone here is is 100% bought in and happy to be here and that’s uh you know a credit to to Warso and and and how he’s kind of started to build the culture down there. You guys um say Ryan Clo left pretty suddenly kind of a little unexpected. is what what went on maybe behind the scenes can you share with us and two is there is there a plan maybe to to replace it and add somebody else because I know you’ve got already a couple but is there maybe a plan to replace Ryan? Um well Chloe I mean it was sudden for you guys but um Chloe and I had been talking going probably going back to March how it was difficult family situation. Um so um while you guys probably felt it was sprung on you, there was something that um we had been talking about for a while and then once we kind of got through dev camp and he had chance to really talk to his family again. It was just situation that was hard that was and I you know you have to do what’s best for your family and your kids and stuff like that. So, um, unfortunately, it was great having him here, but unfortunately, it’s just one of those situations in life where the timing didn’t work out for him. So, um, you know, wish him the best. And I I think he’s he’s excited to be back home with his, uh, with his kids. And when he does have to go to New York, it’s 2 and 1 half hour flight, not a 6 and 1 half hour flight, right? So, um, so we’ll miss him, but I wish him the best. But like I said, it you guys had it probably seemed sudden, but it was something that, you know, had kind of been going on for a few months. Um, so I don’t I for as far as this year, I don’t I don’t think we’ll we’ll replace him or his role. I think I’ll give some more responsibility to other guys, other people that are here and let them grow a little bit and learn a little bit. Um, and then we’ll kind of, you know, next off season we’ll see if we fill fill the role or not. So just to clarify, obviously he’s got whatever family situation going on, but was part of the reason why it sounds like his family stayed on the east coast when he was out here. Is that was that kind of what happened? What kind of broke down to is he just wanted to be closer to his family? Yeah. Okay. Yeah, that’s Florida. He was I want to ask you about an acquisition of Carrie Price’s contract. Um just how’s the landscape changed for acquiring just a contract of that size? Because maybe like five years ago, of course that’s 5 years ago. you acquire a contract of that size, maybe you get a first round pick or something like that. Just how’s that changed over the years? Yeah, I mean, everyone’s got a little bit more cap space. Um, so I think that’s that’s really the main thing with the flat cap. Everyone was just squeezed up against it. So to take a a cap hit like that, you know, there would obviously be a pretty high pretty high price to do it. Um, so for us, you know, it kind of gave us some cushion for other things down the road maybe if uh if we had to make some moves. And um and also that the end of the day the capit is a capit but the cash is pretty low. And you talk Oh, go ahead. No, go ahead. You talk about that cushion. Is that in part like so if you make other trades that you guys are still above the floor kind of? Yeah. I mean if you know you never know how the season’s going to go, but if things happen then you’re not in a situation where you feel like you got to take it take a bad contract to do something you want or something like that. So it gives us a a little bit of cushion and uh but I you know the main reason is I think with the cap going up everyone’s got a little bit a little bit more flexibility. Is there a hope that uh that Kerry can uh come in and maybe just you know just be a sounding board or as as as a veteran future hall of fame goalie or is that now the kind of the he was here for his physical and that’s sort of maybe the last we’ll see of him. Yeah, I don’t think he’ll he’ll be around much. I had a really good I never talked met him before. I had a really nice conversation with him for, you know, 10, 15 minutes. Nice guy. And um, you know, I think for him, he’d still enjoying life with his family and being able to do some things he couldn’t do when he was he was playing. I know he left here and went on a trip with his family and stuff like that. So, I think that’s kind of the priority for him is to kind of enjoy his posth hockey life. Quite the coach’s room though with him. Yeah. Yeah. Ryan Miller and Yeah. Him and those three. Yeah. Right. Huh. Yeah. What’s what’s success? What’s a successful season for the San Jose Sharks? I mean, I’ve kind of always said just in improving. I want to like last year was probably a baby step. Um, but I just want to see us improve in our habits, our details, how we want to play the game. Um, whether that shows up in points or not, I don’t know. But I want to, you know, I want to see our players here who’ve been been here improve on the things we asked them to improve on. Young guys, older guys, whatever whatever it may be. It might be something as small as coming in in better shape. Um, I just want to see improvement in all the areas we ask these guys to improve on. And then, you know, hopefully our group can take another step and and and mature a little bit. Um, you know, we went through some a lot of tough losses last year, so hopefully that’s something our group learned from and we can turn some of those losses into wins. So, just just kind of things like that and improving in the areas um that we struggled in. You know, hopefully we can keep the puck out of our net more um being a more consistent team from night to night. So, um, not necessarily things that may show up in the standings, but, um, you know, not too different than last year where I thought we were a better team and we improved. The record didn’t show it, but um, you know, hopefully we can do the same. Um, win some more win some more games and and kind of clean up some of the areas and show that we learned from some of the uh, mistakes and and uh, not handling situations the right way last year. This is not a year that you’re thinking about McKenna in those uh No, not really. Um I mean, he’s a heck of a player and there’s a lot of good players in this draft class, but um you know, that’s not it’s not the goal to go to get him or anyone. you know, you know, I’d be, as I told the group last night, it’s I’m thrilled to have Mac and Will and me, but I don’t need to. We’re not picking the top five. I’m I’m okay with that. So, um, it’s time to hopefully take take a little bit of a step and win a few more games and and start kind of pushing our way up the standings hopefully. And speaking of the Barracuda, um it looks like the team is going to go younger this year. You don’t have sort of the Andrew Porowski, Jimmy Schultz, that kind of caliber of AHL player there. Is that sort of the plan to give guys like potentially if they don’t make the team, guys like Musty and Hman, like give them a kind of a place where they can really kind of take the load and see if they can take it or not? Yeah, I think it it’ll be um a good part of their development just to give them opportunities. They obviously have to earn it if they’re not playing well or not um doing the thing the coaches want. Then, you know, we’re not just going to hand them over ice time and rolls and power play time, but um it was definitely that I think um we try to make a conscious effort not not to block them um to give them opportunity. You know, Pots, you know, was a heck of a he’s a heck of an American League player. Um so, hopefully we can kind of replace some of his scoring by the aggregate. I think we got a lot of really good players and maybe not the MVP caliber player down there, but um you know um the door is open for those young guys to kind of grab um you know grab some opportunity and and I think responsibility and especially when you’re an offensive guy, how you deal with that off that opportunity, I think it can really help grow your game because there’s going to be uh times where you’re not scoring and you’re struggling and How are you going to how are you going to handle that? And at the same time, you know, when your team needs a goal, how do you handle that? Can you be the guy that produces that? And when and when that happens, I think it really grows and builds confidence. So, um it’s good opportunity for a lot of those guys and even the Walstrom and Olison of the world have kind of looking for second chances and um those guys are have been good offensive players before in the past. So, um I think we have some offense down there, but we’ll we’ll see how it shakes out. It’s not an easy league for young guys either, which I think people kind of forget. Even going back to the 19-year-old rule, I think there’s only so many 19 year olds that can handle the American League. It’s a tough tough league of of grown men. So, um you know, we’ll see how they do, but we’re excited to kind of watch those guys that are down there and kind of see how they develop. I’m not sure how involved you are in this, but obviously there’s a lot of renovations going on at Sharks Ice. Obviously, there’s also the plans for SAP Center and as the team develops and sort of gets better, um will also become more attractive to free agents. So is that sort of a kind of a plan that you you have talked about with with say Jonathan Becker that to have this all come together like the facilities uh the practice facilities are first class the team gets better in the standings also improving SAP center at the same time to just make this place more attractive for uh free agents. Yeah, for sure. I think um you know we’re fortunate that you know Hoso is a great owner and willing to kind of pump his money in here um to the pract um you know Jonathan’s been nothing but supportive and try and help us help us kind of uh like you said kind of get caught up a little bit and uh and have this facilities be what you know this organ organization’s about and what the players here um kind of need and deserve. Um so it’s been great. Yeah, it’s been this has been kind of two years in the making this um the practice facility and I think it turned out great. Um, and I think it’s definitely I think going through even the interview process before I got the job that was, you know, something that, you know, I talked about and and Hoso and Jonathan were on board about having, you know, trying to do everything first class facilities, how we treat people, everything. And, um, you know, I got to give a lot of lot of credit, like I said, to Hoso and Jonathan for providing us uh, with money and and uh, in the opportunity to do this here. and um you know, Richard at the building put up a ton of a ton of work and time and effort to make sure was ready for the start of camp. So, um it’s a great first step. The players I think if you talk to them, the players are excited. um they got everything they need here and um you know I think it it just kind of I guess so happens that it hopefully will dovetail with the team getting better you know having this facility and then you know two or three years down the road whatever that may be redoing SAP in the locker room and everything there so as a team kind of grows and becomes what we want it to be we’ll have you know we’ll have a first class and first rate locker room on game days and guys can come here and hang out in a in a pretty cool uh practice facility as well. I’m just going to call the governor and do something about the state taxes. Yeah, that’s a no big deal. No big deal. Yeah, no big deal. But hey, guys, if we if we become what we be what we hope we and think we can become, guys are going to want to come play here. It’s a it’s a great place to play. We got a great fan base. Um the weather’s great. not yet in the practice facilities. Great coach to play for, great young talent here. Um, you know, like I said, if we if we do what we think we’re going to do here and become what we I don’t think uh we’re we’ll be a we’ll be fine. I think people want to play here even without the uh the benefits of Florida. The

Sharks General Manager Mike Grier answers questions from the media at training camp on September 18, 2025