Happy Retirement Mike Grier

Mike Grier retired last week after 14 seasons in the NHL, playing for four teams (Edmonton, Washington, Buffalo and San Jose). He played over 1,000 games and scored 383 points. Not known for scoring clearly, but such an asset on the Penalty Kill and Checking Line, playing with an energy that few possessed. He fought when he needed too, and never left his teammates hanging out to dry. So why am I dedicating a post to someone who is not related to the Canucks at all?

I became a Canucks fan watching them on the late games on Hockey Night in Canada. Sadly however, the Canucks were not on every Saturday night, and I was subjected to Edmonton Oilers games. Not having a dog in the fight I attached myself to two players on that team, Tommy Salo and Mike Grier. Salo because he was exciting to watch back then, and Mike Grier because he was from Michigan.

As long as Mike Grier was playing, anywhere except the Sharts (not a type-o), I wanted him to win. He was the type of player that did all the dirty work, much like Manny Malhotra. He exemplified all the things Michigan is known for, hard work, team play, and doing whatever is takes to win. These things can also be seen in current Canuck Ryan Kesler (hailing from Livonia, Michigan).

Mike Grier was always a guy I could root for, same as Kesler, David Booth, Doug Weight, Mike Modano, Brian Rafalski, Brian Rolston, Kevin Hatcher (not a big Derian fan), Ryan Miller, Kip Miller, David Legwand, Mike York, Jason Bacashihua and James Wisniewski, to name a few. Some I was fortunate enough to watch in person in college or juniors, some I picked up along the way.

There are so many guys you see make a play and it questions your fandom, but not Grier. He is a Michigan guy, just like me and my dad and my brother and my uncle. He always played hard, and was a player I didn't mind sticking up for. I started rooting for him to have a dog in the fight, but then I watched because I was a fan. So even though he will never see this I am sure, thank you Mike Grier, for making me proud to say I am a fan of yours.