General Manager of the San Jose Sharks, Mike Grier, Office has partnered that the team has hired five different individuals to add to their hockey operations department, with some notable names on the list. Jack Anderson was hired as the team’s strength and conditioning coach, Jaren Burke as a Canadian scout, Igor Eronko as a Russian scout, as well as a former player Thomas Vanek as an amateur scout, and former goaltender Ryan Miller as a goalie scout.
Grier also mentioned that Miller will be working closely Evgeni Nabokov, the team’s current goalie development coach, in a similar role. Although neither Miller nor Vanek played for the Sharks during their professional ice careers, both played alongside Grier with the Buffalo Sabers during the 2005-06 season, as well as the final two seasons of his career. Grier from 2009-11.
For Vanek, this is his first position with an NHL organization outside of his career as a player. Drafted fifth overall by the Sabers in the 2003 NHL Draft, Vanek would become one of the league’s best scorers during his time in Buffalo. After a midseason trade sent him to the New York Islanders in 2013, Vanek became a secondary scoring option on most teams he played for, still putting up solid offensive numbers until ending his career. Vanek’s final year in the NHL came during his second stint with the Detroit Red Wings in the 2018-19 season, officially retiring in 2020.
Like Vanek, Miller’s best years of his career came during his time in the Sabers organization. Highlighted by a Vezina Trophy win during the 2009-10 season, Miller became one of, if not the greatest American-born goalie of all time. During the 2013-14 trade deadline season, Miller became one of the most sought after prizes for contending teams and landed with the St.Louis Blues to end the regular season. After his time in St.Louis, Miller will end his career after the 2021-21 NHL season, following modest stints with the Vancouver Canucks and Anaheim Ducks. Now almost a year later, it was announced that Miller will be inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.
For the most part, this seems like a typical personal hire from Grier’s perspective, as neither Vanek nor Miller have any professional coaching experience off the ice. However, given the career success of both of these players and their long-term playing relationships, it should be a success for the Sharks organization and the overall development of the team.