Sharks hire Jeff Kealty as assistant GM

Kealty, 50, joins a San Jose front office led by Grier that also includes Joe Will and Tom Holy as assistant GMs.

According to a press release from the team, Kealty will be in charge of the Sharks’ professional scouting staff and work with Grier on anything related to hockey operations.

The Newton, Massachusetts native came from the Nashville Predators, where he worked for a whopping 25 years. For the past eight seasons, Kealty served as Nashville’s director of scouting and as an assistant GM, during which time he oversaw the Predators’ professional and amateur scouting.

Prior to that, Kealty was Nashville’s director of amateur scouting for 11 years. He joined the Predators in 2001 as an amateur scout, a role he served in for six years.

Kealty was also the GM for the United States’ 2025 IIHF World Championship team that won gold.

In the press release, Grier shared his excitement for Kealty joining the Sharks’ front office.

“Jeff brings a wealth of professional experience to our club, and he will be a valuable addition to our hockey operations staff,” said Grier. “His knowledge and expertise of the game is represented in his achievement with Team USA, helping the program win a Gold Medal in 2025, along with elevating the Nashville Predators with various high-end player additions over the previous two decades, both in the NHL and in their prospect system. I’ve known Jeff since our days together at Boston University, and it’s exciting to be able to work with him again.”

In his playing days, Kealty was a defenseman that got drafted in the first round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft by the Quebec Nordiques. He never appeared in the NHL, however, retiring after playing just 71 games for the Milwaukee Admirals of the International Hockey League.