Tony Granato fired as Wisconsin men's hockey coach. AD Chris McIntosh wants program consistently at championship level
MADISON – The Tony Granato era came to an end Monday.
The University of Wisconsin men's hockey coach was relieved of his duties, director of athletics Chris McIntosh announced. Granato spent seven seasons on the job, compiling a 105-129-16 (.452) overall record and a 65-87-13 (.433) mark in the Big Ten. The program finished below .500 the past two years.
UW went 13-23 this past season with a 6-18 mark in the Big Ten. Its season ended Saturday at Michigan when it dropped the second game of a best-of-three Big Ten quarterfinal series.
Granato was the Big Ten coach of the year in 2017 as well as 2021, the Badgers’ Big Ten championship season; however, those two seasons were the only ones the team finished with a winning record. UW made its only NCAA Tournament appearance under Granato two years ago but didn't advance past the first round.
"First and foremost I want to thank Coach Granato for everything he has poured into this program in the last seven seasons," McIntosh said during a Monday afternoon press conference. "He's an amazing person, an incredible Badger. He'll always have a place here and be remembered that way. Nobody has given more to this program than Coach Granato and his staff.
"At the end of the day this program has a history and legacy of the highest expectations. It deserved a chance to consistently getting back to a championship level."
McIntosh spoke for 14 minutes during which he shared his thoughts on his must haves for the next coach, the timetable for a decisions, his thoughts on this year's team and the resources provided to the program. A handful of Badgers, including captain Dominick Mersch, sat in on the press conference.
McIntosh said he returned from the Badgers' Big Ten quarterfinals series with Michigan Sunday and met with Granato on Monday morning to inform the coach of his decision. From there, Granato was given time to meet with his staff and players. McIntosh addressed the team as well.
"Tony and I had a good conversation today," McIntosh said. "I left that conversation with more respect than I’ve ever had for him, but it will probably come as no surprise that what happened in that room and the conversation we had will stay between the two of us."
The last two UW coaches were former Badger players. Will the next?
Wisconsin's next coach will be its 15th in program history. The last two coaches, Mike Eaves and Granato, came from the Badgers' coaching tree.
McIntosh wants a proven winner who has an understanding of the university beyond the athletic department.
"This program has a lot to offer and I think is attractive and I’m confident we can attract a top tier coach with a proven track record of success," he said. "But also someone who understands appreciates Wisconsin and what it means here, understands the expectations, understands what Wisconsin values, understands that this program is more than championship hockey on ice, it’s the highest of expectations off the ice, in the classroom. It’s the long game here."
Wisconsin's coach search comes at a point in the season when many of the top teams are far from done playing. The NCAA Tournament doesn't begin until March 23 with the national final scheduled for April 8.
"Certainly the dynamics that exists today in this environment add some complexities to a search like this," McIntosh said. "I would tell you that my priority is to get this search right. Sure there is some urgency and we’ll be expeditious but not at the cost of getting the search right.
"I hope the players on our current team are patient and can trust that we’re going to find a leader that they can be fired up about and confident in where we’re heading, but there is no getting around the realities of the day. I think it’s more important that we get this decision right for the long term."
Badgers struggled for consistency over the years
The announcement comes almost one year after Granato’s contract was extended despite the team’s fifth-place finish in the Big Ten. At the time, Granato and McIntosh reiterated their championship-level expectations for the program.
Granato, in an interview with the Journal Sentinel last spring, said the discussions he and McIntosh had centered on how the program could be more consistent from one year to the next.
“Being consistent is about being better prepared for underclassmen to leave all at the same time. That is what this summer is all about and about the (transfer) portal,” Granato said.
“The portal is a free-agent market. As a university and as a program and as a coach you’ve got to be on your toes to understand that how recruiting and how filling your roster once was is now different. That is the season we are in now.”
After struggling offensively in 2021-22, the Badgers made additions through recruiting and the transfer portal to address those areas. The impact wasn’t felt.
Wisconsin finished last in the seven-team Big Ten (conference games) in assists (3.75), points (6.00) and shots percentage (.07) and ranked sixth in goals average (2.25) and shots on goal (30.50). Their best statistical showings came in faceoffs, which ranked third (.514) and power plays (.220.).
There were also plenty of struggles on the defensive end, where UW allowed the most goals per game in the conference.
Still, the team impressed McIntosh with its approach and effort.
"I thought we fought extremely hard the entire season," McIntosh said. "I thought this group of young men was tenacious. I thought they fought all season long, so I think there are enough pieces on our team from what I know about this roster that there is enough talent and heart to be successful in the future. Those are areas I was extremely impressed."
Kohl Center upgrades on tap for the program
Whoever takes over the program will soon have at their disposal a bevy of upgraded facilities at their disposal. New areas for sports medicine, strength and conditioning and academic support are part of the project that will be completed by the fall of 2024.The rear portion of the Kohl Center is under construction.
McIntosh referred to the project when asked if there was more the administration could do to support the hockey program.
"There is a commitment from all of us that has been made and will lead to the type of success that we expect here," he said. "As we speak there is a construction project that is happening on the backside of this building that is a pretty big commitment to the hockey program. That adds to the appeal and attractiveness of this position, of this job and I’m confident we’ll find someone who sees it the same way."
Hiring of former Badger Granato was a hit in 2016
Granato’s departure closes the book on a hire that was widely hailed in 2016.
In addition to starring for the Badgers from 1983-87, Granato had a 13-year NHL playing career and a seven-year run as the head coach of the Colorado Avalanche. He also was the head coach of the U.S. Olympic team in 2018.
That success, however, didn’t lead to long-term success on the ice at Wisconsin. McIntosh hopes to change that.
"I want nothing more than the players in this program to enjoy the level of success that generations of players before them have enjoyed here," he said. "For me personally, I want them to have the type of experience as a Badgers I had as a Badger," said McIntosh, who won two Big Ten title with the football program in 1998 and '99. "When you weigh those things, it points to moments like this, which you have to make difficult decisions that affect people you love, but it’s for a bigger direction and most important it’s for the players that are in this program now and those who will arrive in the future."
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tony Granato fired as Wisconsin men's hockey coach
