Sharks Hire Longtime Predators Executive Jeff Kealty as Assistant GM
San Jose adds a veteran scouting leader who managed the U.S. team to 2025 World Championship gold and brings 25 years of player-evaluation experience to its hockey-operations staff.
Overview
- Jeff Kealty was hired Friday, July 17, 2026, as an assistant general manager for the San Jose Sharks and will oversee the club’s professional scouting staff while reporting to GM Mike Grier.
- Kealty spent 25 years with the Nashville Predators, rising from an amateur scout in 2001 to director of amateur scouting in 2007 and assistant general manager/director of scouting in 2018.
- He served as general manager of the U.S. Men’s National Team that won gold at the 2025 IIHF World Championship, a credential the Sharks cited in their announcement.
- The Predators and new GM Chris MacFarland issued a public thank-you for Kealty’s quarter-century with Nashville, and his departure follows other recent front-office exits including Brian Poile earlier in June 2026.
- San Jose adds experienced pro-scouting leadership that may sharpen its veteran-player evaluations and trade planning, and the club’s front office will be one to watch for changes in roster-building and scouting emphasis.