San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) General Manager Mike Grier announced today that the club has hired Jeff Kealty as Assistant General Manager. Kealty will oversee the team’s professional scouting staff and work closely with Grier on all aspects of Hockey Operations.
“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.”
Kealty, 50, brings a plethora of experience at both the amateur and professional level, serving over two decades with the Nashville Predators. He recently finished his eighth season as Assistant General Manager & Director of Scouting, where he was tasked in overseeing all of Nashville’s professional and amateur scouting.
Kealty and his staff were instrumental in acquiring several high-profile players for the organization, including his efforts to land Filip Forsberg, and adding players such as Juuse Saros, Colton Sissons, and Matthew Wood. While in the role, the Predators made the playoffs in six of nine seasons, which included a Presidents’ Trophy (2018) and back-to-back Central Division titles (2018-19).
In total, Kealty was in charge of the previous 18 drafts for Nashville dating back to 2008, where he selected defenseman Roman Josi in the second round. He originally started with the Predators as an Amateur scout (2001-2007), and also served as Chief Amateur Scout (2007-2017). In 2017, the Predators made the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history with players Kealty helped add to the organization.
Internationally, Kealty worked with Team USA at both the 2025 and 2026 IIHF Men’s World Championships, serving as General Manager in 2025 and Assistant General Manager in 2026. In 2025, along with Head Coach Ryan Warsofsky, the program made history for USA, winning the team’s first gold medal in 92 years. The roster he hand selected was the youngest among the participating countries at the tournament and won nine of the 10 games (7-2-0-1), capping off the championship with a 1-0 win over Team Switzerland.
Prior to his tenure with Nashville, Kealty played four seasons with Boston University from 1994-1998, helping the organization capture the 1995 NCAA National Championship. Both Grier and Kealty were teammates for two seasons (1994-95, 1995-96) with the Terriers.
He was selected in the 1994 NHL Draft (first round, 22nd overall) by the Quebec Nordiques, and played two professional seasons for the Milwaukee Admirals, appearing in 71 games and scoring 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists). He represented Team USA in the 1996 World Junior Championship, playing six games and collecting one assist.
