Hockey is as famous for its agitator players as it is for its big-time scorers. Names like Esa Tikanen, Claude Lemieux, and Bobby Clarke are held in as high of esteem as Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Gordie Howe. The need for scorers is essential in the sport, but so is the need for those who can shutdown opposing scorers and this is where the legend of the agitator has developed.

New Wichita Thunder Head Coach Malcolm Cameron understands the need for this kind of player and forward Gerrad Grant has stepped in to fill that role masterfully. You might even say that he has done so with true artistic talent, quickly establishing himself as one of the leading agitators in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL), while also becoming one of the team’s most popular players.

Not Your Standard Issue Agitator

The most well-recognized agitators were usually players of good size. Claude Lemieux, for example, was 6-1, 215. This allowed him to not only use his skills as a hockey player, but also his size to control and minimize the success of the leading scorers.

Gerrad Grant is not your proto-typical agitator. At 5-10, 180-pounds, he is usually one of the smaller players on the ice, but that has not limited his effectiveness. He takes a scientific approach on the ice, using every bit of his mass while incorporating physics-like principles to perform in his role.

The results are clear. Despite his size, Thunder defenseman Martin Nemcik explains that Gerrad may be the hardest hitter on the team. “He is one of the smallest guys on the ice, but he hits really hard. He may be the person I like to be checked by least on the team.”

Many players want to be one of those big-time scorers. The guys that are featured on Sportscenter every night, but Gerrad embraces his role, because it fits best into what makes him such a quality hockey player – his commitment to his team.

“I just want to be a good teammate and do whatever it takes to help the team. I am not a guy who is going to score a lot of goals so I want to do what I can to help the team win. That means blocking shots, finishing checks, the little things that can help us to win.”

It is that kind of commitment to helping his team win that led Coach Cameron to want to bring the 26-year-old to Wichita. “Gerrad is such a tough, hard-nosed player that will add grit and tenacity to our lineup,” the Coach explains of his forward. “He can be used in so many key situations and I have a lot of confidence in what he can do to help us win games.”

Born to Play Hockey

Gerrad Grant grew up in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he learned to love the sport from his brother and dad, who both played. He performed well on the ice, eventually earning himself a place in one of Canada’s most elite junior leagues, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).

He remained in Halifax, joining the Mooseheads in the 2007-08 season, playing in three-games. The next season he returned and appeared in 64-games, scoring 11-goals and adding 13-assists.  He found himself in situations where he battled against his opponent’s top players, but excelled at keeping them off the board while keeping himself out of the penalty box, earning just 27-penalty minutes.

The next season he returned to the Mooseheads where he had a breakout year, scoring 22-goals and adding 26-assists. His penalty minutes rose as well, earning 47, and that number would increase to 73 the following year (2010-11), when he scored 7-goals and added 11-assists in 61-games.

Gerrad was developing into a top notch forechecker and agitator. He understood how to get under the skin of opponents, but also could be counted on to stay on the ice, one of the areas he thinks is a key to his game.

“I just want to be out on the ice, and that means being smart. You are going to take penalties, but they can’t be stupid ones. I play my role really well, but I think I do it by being smart about how I play.”

Learning on and off the Ice

After three-plus seasons in the QMJHL, Gerrad Grant went onto college at St. Mary’s University near his home in Halifax. It was an opportunity to get a quality education, while also developing his game even more.

His first two season he would combine to play in 51-games, scoring a total of 5-goals and adding 8-assists. His next three seasons he would become a more integral part of the team. In 2013-14, Gerrad scored 6-goals and added 9-assists. His 15-points would be a career mark, a number he would match two seasons later.

His play at St. Mary’s earned him a reputation as the kind of guy who could be depended on by the team and the coaching staff, and was a big reason why Coach Cameron signed the forward.

“Gerrad comes from a very good college program where he proved himself to be very reliable. He is a little older than a lot of college graduates, but has used that maturity to really develop his game. He is excellent on the forecheck and that has been a big reason why I want him on the ice.”

A Long Way to Go to Be a Rookie

Before the 2016-17 ECHL season, Gerrad Grant was signed by the Wichita Thunder. It would be the first time in his playing career that he would be playing his home games away from Halifax. It was a brand new challenge for the rookie, but one that he was happy to take on.

“I love it here in Wichita. A great place to play hockey, and this is a great organization to play for. It’s a long way away from Nova Scotia for sure, but a great city, the weather is fantastic, and I couldn’t be happier being here.”

Gerrad has been in the lineup for 19 of the Thunder’s first 23-games. He has scored 2-goals and 4-assists while being one of the forwards that Coach Cameron turns to when he is looking for his team to play a lot more aggressively.

“There is no doubt that players like Gerrad and Ryan (Tesink) are the kind of players who will do the hard-nosed work. They forecheck and play aggressively in the opposing end,” the Coach explained earlier this season. “They bring a lot of energy and tenacity onto the ice.”

Hard-work is what really makes Gerrad a very special player. He loves the grunt work, the battles in the corner, the forechecking, and the blocking of shots. He is the very definition of how NBC studio host Bill Clement describes gritty players.

“It starts with a willingness to put yourself in harm’s way. What truly defines a gritty player is when he will put himself back in harm’s way even when he is (in) pain.”

It is that kind of fearless abandon that has become a hallmark for Gerrad Grant. That doesn’t make it easy, however. Having a rubber disc shot at you at 90-plus mph is not easy and the rookie admits that it has left its mark in more ways than one.

“I will dive in front of a puck to make a play, but I am not saying it is easy. I have felt a puck for a week after, but you block the next one because your team needs it. You got to be a little crazy I guess.”

The Brotherhood of Hockey

It is his dedication to his team that has endeared Gerrad Grant to his teammates. He loves the comradery of the sport and finds that hockey creates a very unique brotherhood that no other sport can capture.

“You’re out there and you’re playing a game, but it is much more than that and so you have to be prepared to stick up for one another. The comradery is incredibly important in hockey. In this sport, it just comes easy because you get so close as a team. It’s great to have guys stick up for you and to stick up for others.”

His appreciation for his teammates is not just because that is what hockey players do. It is because playing hockey for the Wichita Thunder has given him the opportunity to meet some very special people.

“The best part of hockey is the guys you get to be around. You get to meet some great people and the best part about it is that you get to have a lot of fun doing it. This is a great group of guys here who are committed to winning and to each other and that has made it a lot of fun to be on this team.”

Kind of Oxy-Moron of Sorts

The oddest part about how Gerrad Grant plays is that he is not the kind of agitator that most hockey fans are accustomed to. He is not loud and vocal on the ice. In fact, if you didn’t know he was a hockey player he could easily pass for an accountant or a computer programmer.

However, he is a hockey player, and a very good one. No, he will likely not be a 40-goal scorer. He won’t regularly appear in highlight reels for spectacular, eye-popping goals. Conversely, he will likely not be the guy hogging the camera with witty one-liners. Instead, Gerrad has been smart enough to know what his skill set is and to use his skills to become the kind of player that every team would want.

Yes, he is an agitator. He can be very annoying to opponents, and he creates a lot of scoring chances for his team through his gritty play, completely understanding that his play will likely be overlooked by the majority of fans who don’t truly appreciate the nuisances of the game. That’s perfectly ok with the rookie, however. After all, a true artist performs to express their passion, whether they are a painter, actor, musician or, yes, even a hockey player. An artist is simply looking for inspiration to bring their talent to life. You can be sure that a lot of ECHL teams are hoping that Gerrad Grant will fail to find his muse.

Featured Image by Johnna Raymond

By Robert Pannier