14-year NHL veteran Mike Grier retired Thursday. (AP)

Former Boston University Terrier-turned-NHL-pro Mike Grier retired from professional hockey Thursday, the NHL Players’ Association announced. Grier played 14 seasons of NHL hockey, spending six years with the Oilers followed by a two-year stint with the Capitals, a three-year run with the Sharks and two separate two-year stints with the Sabres. The 36-year-old forward finished his NHL career with 383 points (162 goals, 221 assists) in 1,060 games. He was the first US-born and trained African-American player to play in the NHL.

Grier, a native of Detroit, played his high school hockey for St. Sebastian’s in Needham. Grier then played for three seasons at BU and won a national championship with the Terriers in 1995. Grier left school early to join the Oilers, where he recorded two 20-goal seasons and made the playoffs four times. He then bounced around the league, but consistently put together 20-to-30-point seasons. Grier played in 73 games last season with the Sabres and recorded 16 points on five goals and 11 assists. He had not yet played this season.

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