Stu Grimson

Stuart Grimson (born May 20, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Grimson played in the National Hockey League from 1989 to 2002. During this time, he played for the Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes, Los Angeles Kings, and Nashville Predators. Grimson was known as an enforcer, with over 2,000 penalty minutes in his career. His stature, his reputation as a fighter, and a play on his surname combined to earn him the nickname "The Grim Reaper". Grimson was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, but grew up in Kamloops, British Columbia.

Stu Grimson
Born (1965-05-20) May 20, 1965
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Height 6 ft 6 in (198 cm)
Weight 240 lb (109 kg; 17 st 2 lb)
Position Left Wing
Shot Left
Played for Calgary Flames
Chicago Blackhawks
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
Detroit Red Wings
Hartford Whalers
Carolina Hurricanes
Los Angeles Kings
Nashville Predators
NHL Draft 186th overall, 1983
Detroit Red Wings
143rd overall, 1985
Calgary Flames
Playing career 1988–2002

Playing career

During his lengthy career, Grimson improved as a fighter. In his younger days, he lacked balance, and was vulnerable to shorter, more powerfully built fighters. It was during his ‘91-92 season with the Blackhawks, that he began to show signs of improving his balance, and though his style still left him vulnerable, he scored wins over some of the league's tougher fighters.

His best year in the NHL was the 1992–93 season with the Chicago Blackhawks, where he beat some of the leagues more formidable fighters like Tie Domi, Marty McSorley, Darin Kimble, Bob Probert (pre-season), Gino Odjick, Rob Ray, Kelly Chase, among others.

In the 1996–97 season, he scored decisive wins over established fighters like Randy McKay, Darren Langdon and Enrico Ciccone, and he battered Ryan Vandenbussche and Shane Churla of the New York Rangers in one-sided victories. The following season saw Grimson move with the Whalers to Carolina, and as a Hurricane he continued to be a force in the league. He started a rivalry with Krzysztof Oliwa of the New Jersey Devils that season, which saw the two men fight several times over the next few seasons, usually to a draw.

Grimson spent the next two seasons back in Anaheim, and played his final full season with the Los Angeles Kings in 2000–01. He remained a respected and elite heavyweight fighter, but in his final season, in Nashville, he suffered from post-concussion syndrome and was forced to retire after a fight with Georges Laraque of the Edmonton Oilers.[1] He had already been suffering effects before that bout, and even admitted he once blacked out in the middle of a fight.[2][3]

In his final seasons, Grimson built rivalries with a new generation of fighters, such as Georges Laraque, Krzysztof Oliwa and Scott Parker.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1982–83 Regina Pats WHL 48011105 500014
1983–84 Regina Pats WHL 638816131 2101129
1984–85 Regina Pats WHL 71243256248 812314
1985–86 University of Manitoba CWUAA 127411113 —————
1986–87 University of Manitoba CWUAA 29881667 —————
1987–88 Salt Lake Golden Eagles IHL 379514268 —————
1988–89 Salt Lake Golden Eagles IHL 7291827397 1423586
1988–89 Calgary Flames NHL 10005 —————
1989–90 Salt Lake Golden Eagles IHL 628816319 40008
1989–90 Calgary Flames NHL 300017 —————
1990–91 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 35011183 500046
1991–92 Indianapolis Ice IHL 511217 —————
1991–92 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 54224234 1401110
1992–93 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 78112193 20004
1993–94 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 77156199 —————
1994–95 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 31011110 —————
1994–95 Detroit Red Wings NHL 1100037 1110126
1995–96 Detroit Red Wings NHL 56011128 20000
1996–97 Detroit Red Wings NHL 10000 —————
1996–97 Hartford Whalers NHL 75224218 —————
1997–98 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 82347204 —————
1998–99 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 73303158 300030
1999–00 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 50123116 —————
2000–01 Los Angeles Kings NHL 72325235 50004
2001–02 Nashville Predators NHL 3011276 —————
NHL totals 7291722392113 42112120

Personal

Despite his fearsome reputation on the ice, Grimson won respect as an intelligent and articulate man off it. He became a born-again Christian in the early 1990s and led the NHL's Christian Fellowship ("Jesus was no wimp," Grimson said in one interview).

After retiring, Grimson finished his undergraduate degree and began work on a law degree. He completed his law degree in December 2005 at the University of Memphis Law School. He was In-House Counsel for the National Hockey League Players' Association (2006–2008) and then worked for the Nashville law firm of Kay, Griffin, Enkema & Brothers, PLLC (2008–2012). He worked as a Color Analyst for the Nashville Predators on Fox Sports South and the team's flagship network, 102.5 The Game, through the 2016-17 season.

Grimson appeared in a 2001 commercial spot for The Foundation for a Better Life. It begins with on-ice game action leading up to an intermission. While in the locker room with the team, Grimson receives a phone call. It is revealed that the caller is Grimson's young daughter, who asks him to sing "Itsy Bitsy Spider". He reluctantly complies, much to the amusement of his teammates. Grimson replies "Hey, it's my girl! You know, my daughter?" The commercial showed a softer side of Grimson as a good family man.[4]

During an October 6, 2011 edition of Hockey Night In Canada, Don Cherry accused Grimson, along with Chris Nilan and Jim Thomson, of being 'pukes' & 'hypocrites' for supposedly making a living as an enforcers and now complaining about it.[5] Grimson, by then a licensed attorney, indicated that he considered legal action against Don Cherry on behalf of himself, Chris Nilan and Jim Thomson citing Cherry's claims as "baseless and slanderous."[6] After an apology on Hockey Night in Canada by Cherry, Grimson reconsidered his lawsuit against Cherry stating that "This is a decision for Canadians. The CBC is your network; you pay for it. And you hold the network to certain standards and values."[7]

Grimson has four children; Erin, Hannah, Kristjan and Jayne

In 2018, Stu married Jennifer Ives Grimson ; an entrepreneur and investor. They live in Nashville, Tennessee.


See also
  • List of NHL players with 2000 career penalty minutes

References
  1. http://espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?id=1712220
  2. https://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/2011/05/09/feschuk_grimson_healthy_today_but_wonders_what_future_holds.html
  3. http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/concussions-still-ringing-grimsons-bell
  4. Commercial Title: Hockey/Theme: Love – The Foundation for a Better Life.
  5. "Don Cherry calls ex-enforcers 'pukes' & 'hypocrites' for views on fighting". YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
  6. "Cherry comments draw legal threat from NHL trio". CBC Sports. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
  7. "Tough guys say they won't sue Cherry". The Canadian Press. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
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