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SPORTS Thursday 1 February 2018

USA Hockey won’t name replacement for late GM Jim Johannson

By STEPHEN WHYNO
AP Hockey Writer
As Tony Granato pores over
video to prepare for the
Olympics, he constantly re-
minds himself of something.
This was Jim Johannson’s
team. And to Granato, it
still is even after the unex-
pected death of the U.S.
general manager.
“From start to finish it will
be and always will be,”
Granato said of Johannson,
a close friend.
With that in mind, USA
Hockey won’t name a new
GM to replace Johannson
for the upcoming Olym-
pics. Instead, director of
player personnel Ben Smith
will take over any manage-
rial duties Johannson would
have been responsible
for. Executive director Pat
Kelleher said he hopes the
team “is a true reflection on
Jimmy’s work.”
“We are not replacing Jim
as the general manager
of this team,” Kelleher said
Wednesday. “There will
only ever be one general This Aug. 4, 2017 file photo shows Jim Johannson speaking during a news conference in Plymouth, Mich. Associated Press
manger of the 2018 men’s
Olympic team.” can to play inspired, to rep- 21, less than three weeks have known him from pre- about the stories,” defen-
Johannson selected the resent us in the way that after the roster was an- vious world juniors, world seman Matt Gilroy said.
coaching staff and 25-man Jimmy wanted to and drew nounced. championships and this “He was putting together a
roster for the first U.S. Olym- this whole thing out for us to Granato said players are selection process hope to team with 25 guys with spe-
pic men’s hockey team do,” Granato said. healthy, though if any in- make good on his trust in cial stories and he wanted
that will play without NHL “I think the balance of the jury replacements need to them. that team at the end of the
participants since 1994. team that we put together be made, Smith will be in “His message the whole Olympic Games to have a
That included hand-pick- and that J.J. envisioned it to charge. time was everyone has great story, so that’s defi-
ing Granato, a teammate be is exactly what it is right Smith was an assistant on a story and the Olympic nitely going to be motiva-
on the 1988 Olympic team now, and now we have to the 1988 Olympic team Games, he’s right, it’s all tion for all of us.”q
who’s now coaching at go perform.” and coached the U.S.
Wisconsin. Johannson, who was in women’s teams in 1998,
Granato plans to make his the midst of his most high- 2002 and 2006 and had a
team’s first meeting in South profile role in 17 years at hand in the selection of this
Korea about Johannson USA Hockey, called players roster.
and ways to honor him. The in December to tell them Granato expects to use
tournament begins Feb. 14. they’d made the team, Johannson’s phrase “100
“In respect to him and to a joy he gushed about to percent” and other things
make him proud, we are Granato and others. to remember him at the
going to do everything we He died at age 53 on Jan. Olympics. Players who