Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
Around SBN: Jerry Sandusky's Wife Tries To Run A Reporter Over

Mike Grier Signs With Buffalo

It's been a while since Mike Grier was an Edmonton Oiler; the Oilers sent him to Washington at the dawn of 2002 for draft picks (one was dealt to the Islanders, the other became Zack Stortini), but he's always been one of those players I'm glad to have watched.  He originally came to Edmonton from St. Louis along with Curtis Joseph in exchange for draft picks.

Gritty, fearless, and blessed with a high pain threshold, one of the most bizarre things about Grier was his tendency to alternate good offensive seasons with bad ones. 

Star-divide

  • 1994-95: 29 goals (NCAA)
  • 1995-96: 21 goals (NCAA)
  • 1996-97: 15 goals
  • 1997-98: 9 goals
  • 1998-99: 20 goals
  • 1999-00: 9 goals
  • 2000-01: 20 goals
  • 2001-02: 8 goals
  • 2002-03: 15 goals
  • 2003-04: 9 goals
  • 2004-05: Did not play
  • 2005-06: 7 goals
  • 2006-07: 16 goals
  • 2007-08: 9 goals
  • 2008-09: 10 goals

It's a strange pattern; fifteen years of alternating goal patterns, broken only by the lockout until this year.  I can't think of any reason for it other than coincidence.

In any case, Grier signed a one year contract with Buffalo yesterday.  He's coming off a rough season that saw him play largely a fourth-line role (in addition to his penalty-killing duties) on a very decent team.  Edmonton could have used his help when down a man, but there really isn't a spot for him on RW - Pisani, and ironically Stortini have those spots locked up.

All the best to him in Buffalo.

Comment 10 comments  |  0 recs  | 

Do you like this story?

More from The Copper & Blue

Weekend Update: Nuuuuuge

Dec 2011 by Lisa McRitchie - 10 comments

Looking Back for a Forward

Aug 2011 by Scott Reynolds - 13 comments

Comments

Display:

Grier

I miss having that guy around. The team has missed guys like him since 07.

Contributor to The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.

by Derek Zona on Aug 11, 2009 12:39 PM MDT reply actions  

A solid player and a solid citizen. I hope Buffalo is a good fit.

by Bruce McCurdy on Aug 11, 2009 12:39 PM MDT reply actions  

Actually...

The Oilers could have easily made room for Grier. Pisani can play LW if necessary(which would be nice because LW on this team really sucks) and Stortini is no comparison anyway.

Any word on the terms for his deal? If he got $1MM or so then it’s probably a missed opportunity.

by RiversQ on Aug 11, 2009 3:44 PM MDT via mobile reply actions  

When did Pisani play LW? I don’t recall.

As for the contract, it’s a 1-year, 1.2MM deal.

A posse ad esse.

Writer for The Copper & Blue and OilersNation.

by Jonathan Willis on Aug 11, 2009 8:08 PM MDT up reply actions  

and as for Grier...

Do you think the Oilers would be better off signing him than say, Andy Hilbert?

A posse ad esse.

Writer for The Copper & Blue and OilersNation.

by Jonathan Willis on Aug 11, 2009 8:18 PM MDT up reply actions  

Hilbert

I’m all for the Hilbert signing. At the expense of Moreau.

Contributor to The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.

by Derek Zona on Aug 11, 2009 11:43 PM MDT up reply actions  

I was always a Grier fan. I think there’s always room for guys like him on this team.

Isn’t this his second tour with the Sabres? I seem to recall him wearing the red and black jerseys at one point.

SNN Sports - A theoretical Oilers blog (i.e. theoretically, I write stuff there)

by Doogie2K on Aug 11, 2009 4:47 PM MDT reply actions  

Yeah; he left (apparently on bad terms) after the 2006 ECF. He publicly criticized the team as heading in the wrong direction, IIRC.

A posse ad esse.

Writer for The Copper & Blue and OilersNation.

by Jonathan Willis on Aug 11, 2009 8:19 PM MDT up reply actions  

not really

good luck to him and all but he’s not what the oilers need at this point.

by rent a goalie on Aug 11, 2009 7:59 PM MDT reply actions  

Crazy

He’s exactly what the oilers need right now.

Contributor to The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.

by Derek Zona on Aug 12, 2009 10:54 AM MDT up reply actions  

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to SB Nation's Edmonton Oilers community.

Northwest Standings

GP W L OTL PT
Vancouver 54 34 15 5 73
Colorado 56 28 25 3 59
Minnesota 54 25 21 8 58
Calgary 55 25 22 8 58
Edmonton 54 21 28 5 47

(updated 2.11.2012 at 6:02 AM MST)

22 - 28 - 5

Won 1

Clear Victory Standings

Western Conference

  1. Detroit Red Wings (23-7, .767)
  2. San Jose Sharks (14-5, .737)
  3. Vancouver Canucks (18-7, .720)
  4. St. Louis Blues (12-6, .667)
  5. Chicago Blackhawks (16-13, .552)
  6. Los Angeles Kings (10-9, .526)
  7. Nashville Predators (11-10, .524)
  8. Phoenix Coyotes (12-12, .500)
  9. Dallas Stars (11-15, .423)
  10. Anaheim Ducks (10-14, .417)
  11. Colorado Avalanche (9-13, .409)
  12. Edmonton Oilers (11-16, .407)
  13. Calgary Flames (9-15, .375)
  14. Minnesota Wild (7-14,.333)
  15. Columbus Blue Jackets (5-19, .208)

Eastern Conference

  1. Boston Bruins (21-4, .840)
  2. New York Rangers (18-8, .692)
  3. Pittsburgh Penguins (16-9, .640)
  4. Philadelphia Flyers (14-11, .560)
  5. Toronto Maple Leafs (14-12, .538)
  6. Washington Capitals (14-13, .519)
  7. Montreal Canadiens (11-11, .500)
  8. New Jersey Devils (10-12, .455)
  9. Ottawa Senators (10-13, .435)
  10. Winnipeg Jets (10-14, .417)
  11. Carolina Hurricanes (9-13, .409)
  12. Florida Panthers (7-12, .368)
  13. Buffalo Sabres (8-14, .364)
  14. Tampa Bay Lightning (9-20, .310)
  15. New York Islanders (6-14, .300)

Division Standings

  1. Central (52-40, .565)
  2. Northeast (49-39, .557)
  3. Atlantic (45-37, .549)
  4. Pacific (38-36, .514)
  5. Northwest (34-45, .430)
  6. Southeast (33-54, .379)


Managing Editor

Kurri_small Derek Zona

Laraque_horcoff_250x360_small Scott Reynolds

Columnists

Batman_small ryanbatty

0615pisani_small dawgbone98

Okc_shoulder_small Eric Rodgers

Neal_small Neal Livingston

Mike_small Mike Wntrz

Contributors

Newtwitter2_small Jonathan Willis

Mccurdycloseup_small Bruce McCurdy

Esaandstanley_small Benjamin Massey

Me_smyth_bobblehead3__1_of_1__small Lisa McRitchie

Small Triumph44

Gyi0062208469-bobrovsky_small Chase W

Small JaredL