Stu Grimson was one of the most feared fighters of his era, a left winger from Kamloops, British Columbia, who spent 2,113 minutes in NHL penalty boxes and earned the nickname The Grim Reaper. When his playing days ended in Nashville, he did something few enforcers ever try. He went back to school, and that decision sent his life in a direction nobody who watched him fight would have guessed.
Where is Stu Grimson now?
As of November 2026, Stu Grimson is corporate counsel at THIRDHOME, a travel club for vacation home owners based in Brentwood, Tennessee, according to his biography on the THIRDHOME team page. The bio says he handles the company’s corporate legal matters, including partnership agreements, the club’s terms and conditions, and member issues. He also works as an analyst for NHL Network, which named him among its analysts for the 2026-27 season.
| Stu Grimson: then and now | |
|---|---|
| Known for | Heavyweight enforcer, The Grim Reaper, 2,113 penalty minutes |
| Position | Left wing, shoots left |
| Born | 20 May 1965, Kamloops, British Columbia |
| Drafted | 1983, 10th round, 186th overall, Detroit; again in 1985, 7th round, 143rd overall, Calgary |
| NHL career | 14 seasons, 729 games, seven franchises |
| Last NHL season | 2001-02, Nashville Predators |
| Current role | Corporate counsel at THIRDHOME and NHL Network analyst, as of November 2026 |
| Employer or business | THIRDHOME, Brentwood, Tennessee |
Grimson joined THIRDHOME in 2019. The trade publication Hospitality Net reported in May 2019 that he had been named vice president of business development, responsible for partnerships with luxury resorts, real estate developers and vacation rental managers as well as corporate legal work. He said he had been intrigued by the concept from the moment he first heard of it.
From the penalty box to law school: Stu Grimson’s legal career
Stu Grimson’s legal career began in a classroom after his last NHL season. He first completed an undergraduate degree at Belmont University in Nashville, majoring in economics, then earned his law degree at the University of Memphis in December 2005. Looking back on the decision in a 2019 interview with Awful Announcing, he said: “it would probably behoove me to get some letters after my name, enhance my marketable skills.”
The degree took him straight back to hockey, on the other side of the table. From 2006 to 2008, he worked as in-house counsel for the NHL Players’ Association in Toronto. In 2008, he returned to Nashville and joined the law firm Kay Griffin as a defense attorney.
Stu Grimson on TV: from Predators broadcasts to NHL Network
Stu Grimson spent nine years broadcasting the Nashville Predators. According to his NHL Network biography, he worked on Predators radio from 2008 to 2014 and on FOX Sports Tennessee from 2014 to 2017. NHL Network added him to its studio lineup in September 2017, and he has appeared on shows such as NHL Now and NHL Tonight. He told Awful Announcing that his legal training shaped how he analyzes the game.
Stu Grimson’s NHL career in numbers
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988-89 | Calgary | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 1989-90 | Calgary | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| 1990-91 | Chicago | 35 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 183 |
| 1991-92 | Chicago | 54 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 234 |
| 1992-93 | Chicago | 78 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 193 |
| 1993-94 | Anaheim | 77 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 199 |
| 1994-95 | Anaheim and Detroit | 42 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 147 |
| 1995-96 | Detroit | 56 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 128 |
| 1996-97 | Detroit and Hartford | 76 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 218 |
| 1997-98 | Carolina | 82 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 204 |
| 1998-99 | Anaheim | 73 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 158 |
| 1999-00 | Anaheim | 50 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 116 |
| 2000-01 | Los Angeles | 72 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 235 |
| 2001-02 | Nashville | 30 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 76 |
| Total | 729 | 17 | 22 | 39 | 2,113 |
Figures are from Hockey-Reference. He added 120 penalty minutes in 42 playoff games, and he reached the 1995 Stanley Cup Final with Detroit.
Stu Grimson’s 2,113 penalty minutes add up to more than 35 full 60-minute games spent in the box. That works out to 54 penalty minutes per point, and he had eight seasons with at least 150 penalty minutes.
Stu Grimson’s draft and the road to Chicago
Stu Grimson was drafted twice. Detroit took him in the 10th round in 1983, 186th overall, and Calgary picked him again in 1985 in the seventh round, 143rd overall, after he had played for the Regina Pats. He also spent time at the University of Manitoba before turning pro. He played only four games for the Flames before Chicago gave him a regular job, and he had three straight seasons of more than 180 penalty minutes with the Blackhawks. He later joined the Mighty Ducks for their first season in 1993-94.
Stu Grimson and Bob Probert: the rivalry that defined an era
No opponent is tied to Stu Grimson’s name like Bob Probert, the most feared enforcer of the period. The two heavyweights dropped the gloves many times, yet Grimson has always spoken of Probert with respect, as in his honest words about Bob Probert and the story of the night he ran into Probert at a restaurant. In 2019, Grimson published a memoir with the same title as his nickname, The Grim Reaper.
Nashville was the last stop on his playing career and the city where his second career took shape. Our guide covers how to watch the Nashville Predators, and another former Predator’s life after hockey is told in what Mike Fisher is doing now.
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