Stuart "The Grim Reaper" 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 born in Vancouver, British Columbia, but grew up in Kamloops, British Columbia.

Stu Grimson
Born (1965-05-20) May 20, 1965 (age 58)
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
NHL Draft 186th overall, 1983
Detroit Red Wings
143rd overall, 1985
Calgary Flames
Playing career 1988–2002

Playing career edit

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." 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]

His final NHL game was on December 12, 2001, and he officially announced his retirement on June 1, 2003.

Personal life edit

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 law school. He completed his Juris Doctor 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' and '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 with his ex-wife Pam; Erin, Hannah, Kristjan and Jayne.[citation needed]

In 2018, Stu married Jennifer Ives Grimson, an entrepreneur and investor. They live in Nashville, Tennessee.[citation needed]

Career statistics edit

Regular season and playoffs edit

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1982–83 Regina Pats WHL 48 0 1 1 105 5 0 0 0 14
1983–84 Regina Pats WHL 63 8 8 16 131 21 0 1 1 29
1984–85 Regina Pats WHL 71 24 32 56 248 8 1 2 3 14
1985–86 University of Manitoba CWUAA 12 7 4 11 113
1986–87 University of Manitoba CWUAA 29 8 8 16 67
1987–88 Salt Lake Golden Eagles IHL 37 9 5 14 268
1988–89 Salt Lake Golden Eagles IHL 72 9 18 27 397 14 2 3 5 86
1988–89 Calgary Flames NHL 1 0 0 0 5
1989–90 Salt Lake Golden Eagles IHL 62 8 8 16 319 4 0 0 0 8
1989–90 Calgary Flames NHL 3 0 0 0 17
1990–91 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 35 0 1 1 183 5 0 0 0 46
1991–92 Indianapolis Ice IHL 5 1 1 2 17
1991–92 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 54 2 2 4 234 14 0 1 1 10
1992–93 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 78 1 1 2 193 2 0 0 0 4
1993–94 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 77 1 5 6 199
1994–95 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 31 0 1 1 110
1994–95 Detroit Red Wings NHL 11 0 0 0 37 11 1 0 1 26
1995–96 Detroit Red Wings NHL 56 0 1 1 128 2 0 0 0 0
1996–97 Detroit Red Wings NHL 1 0 0 0 0
1996–97 Hartford Whalers NHL 75 2 2 4 218
1997–98 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 82 3 4 7 204
1998–99 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 73 3 0 3 158 3 0 0 0 30
1999–00 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 50 1 2 3 116
2000–01 Los Angeles Kings NHL 72 3 2 5 235 5 0 0 0 4
2001–02 Nashville Predators NHL 30 1 1 2 76
NHL totals 729 17 22 39 2,113 42 1 1 2 120

Filmography edit

Year Title Role Notes
2022 The Simpsons Himself (voice) Episode: "Top Goon"

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Berra: A bunch of boy scouts". 19 January 2004.
  2. ^ Feschuk, Dave (9 May 2011). "Feschuk: Grimson healthy today, but wonders what future holds". The Toronto Star.
  3. ^ "Concussions still ringing Grimson's bell | Nashville City Paper". Archived from the original on 2016-04-13.
  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.[dead YouTube link]
  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.

External links edit