USA Olympic Team Announces Management, Coaching Staff
The 2018 Winter Olympics will be another chance for amateur hockey players from throughout North America to create some magic (some may even call it a Miracle) and show that they can compete at the highest level. The NHL will not be going, meaning players from the NCAA, junior and European leagues will make up the teams for the United States and Canada.
Today, USA Hockey announced the management and coaching staff for the upcoming Olympics:
- General Manager: Jim Johannson
- Director of Player Personnel: Ben Smith
- Head Coach: Tony Granato
- Assistant Coach: Keith Allain
- Assistant Coach: Chris Chelios
- Assistant Coach: Ron Rolston
- Assistant Coach: Scott Young
This group has a ton of international experience, led by Granato who has coached and played in the Olympics before. Now the head coach of the University of Wisconsin, Granato has long been considered one of the brightest hockey minds ever developed in the US. It is interesting that an NCAA coach has been selected, as he’ll have much more first hand experience with many of the players the team will have to rely on.
Johannson said in the press conference that the team will also look at some semi-retired NHL players to suit up for the team. Possibilities include Brian Gionta, Matt Cullen or even Drew Stafford if he can’t find a job around the NHL before the start of the season.
Most of the team though will come from the NCAA ranks, where players like Jordan Greenway could be asked to play big minutes. Greenway was part of the World Championship squad earlier this spring along with fellow college players Daniel Brickley and Cal Petersen. Petersen has since signed with the Los Angels Kings and will be ineligible, while Brickley may have a substantial role after heading back to Minnesota State University.
Luke Kunin, Granato’s star player last year at Wisconsin will be unable to play after signing with the Iowa Wild this spring following his sophomore year. Granato is surely going to pull from his own roster for other options.
Bob Hartley To Coach Latvia
Bob Hartley, the 2015 Jack Adams Trophy winner, will be named the head coach of the Latvian national team, according to Aivis Kalniņš.
According to Kalniņš, all that’s left to do is sign the contract. In an interesting note, Sportsnet’s Mark Spector notes that Hartley was chosen over finalists Patrick Roy and Ron Rolston.
The legendary Avalanche goaltender resigned as the team’s coach in August over disagreements on player decisions like the Nick Holden trade. Rolston has previously coached college hockey, several AHL teams, and the Buffalo Sabres.
Hartley, a veteran of nearly 1000 NHL games, most recently coached the Calgary Flames, but was fired last summer after missing the playoffs. His Jack Adams trophy came following the 2014-15 season where the Flames rode unsustainable percentages and got to the second round of the playoffs. Hartley has previously won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001.
Hartley is a good coach to motivate Latvian players, who will have to out-work their opponents in order to have a chance against highly-skilled international teams. Former Latvian coach Ted Nolan and goaltender Kristers Gudlevskis nearly managed to beat Canada at the 2014 Sochi Olympics; Canada’s 2-1 win was one of the most exciting games of the entire tournament. Latvia was able to score on Canada, which is something that international powerhouses USA and Sweden was not able to do.