Team USA has opportunity to usher in new era of hockey, Granato says

NHL players are competing at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, the first time in 12 years that they've been on this global stage. In order to provide an inside look at the experience, NHL.com has enlisted former Olympic players, coaches and others around the game to share their insights. Today, Team USA icon Tony Granato, a forward at the 1988 Calgary Olympics, and an assistant at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and head coach at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics.

What would a victory by Team USA over Team Canada in the gold medal game at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 mean for USA Hockey and the sport in the U.S. in general?

It’s hard to single out.

First off, my family has had a special relationship with USA Hockey starting with my sister, Cammi, who’s in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Seeing her and her Team USA teammates win the Olympic gold medal at the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano may still stand as my favorite hockey moment.

My brother Don’s association with USA Hockey includes his successful stint as coach with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. It’s there where he coached forwards Auston Matthews and Jack Eichel, who both will be playing for Team USA in the gold medal game Sunday.

I’ve also had my time with USA Hockey as a player and coach.

If it happens that this Team USA group wins gold, obviously, not being on the team, on the bench, or part of this Olympic team doesn't mean that all of us that have ever played for a U.S. team or have pride in being an American hockey player shouldn't feel part of this.

I've talked to quite a few former players, teammates, and USA hockey players that kind of feel the same way; that even though we're not there or part of it, we still should feel that it's going to mean more than just cheering for a team that you like because we have worn the jersey and we’ve participated in international events like this.

It’s a more special game than just watching your former team play a game. It's not like watching my former college team or my former NHL teams play. There's much more connection to what wearing that jersey means, what playing for USA means, for what the representation of what these 25 guys and staff have done to this point to make us proud and feel part of it.

It's bigger than just caring for your buddies because, like I said, you've had your own challenges at different times for USA Hockey, and therefore somewhat feel connected to the group and to the team.

So, again, what would a win mean tomorrow?

It won’t be just, “Yeah, the U.S. is better than Canada,” or, “the U.S. is the best in the world right now.” It’s a more special feeling. It’s about the journeys and the obstacles that have been overcome to become an Olympic champion. You personally know everything that USA Hockey has done to get to this point because you’ve been part of it.

How would a win affect the popularity of the sport in the U.S., especially among kids?

Well, we've had a boost in different NHL markets because certain teams have had great success. The Chicago Blackhawks, for instance, they had that run there starting in 2010. You talk about California -- the Los Angeles Kings, the Anaheim Ducks, and the San Jose Sharks -- all of a sudden, California hockey is booming.

There's also women’s hockey and the impact of that 1998 gold medal team. All of a sudden, you turn on the TV and there's women playing hockey, and people start saying: “this is pretty entertaining.” And then little girls start watching it and begin to play.

So there's been pockets of different times, eras and teams that have ignited excitement in certain areas to have enrollment increase. More kids want to grow up and be like the players they see on TV.

I do think this team has the potential to have a huge influence on the direction, the respect, and potential for growth for USA Hockey.

How many guys in that Team USA locker room would say forwards Patrick Kane or Joe Pavelski, or goalie Jonathan Quick were their idols growing up as kids? Now, especially with a win, there will be a new generation of kids who’ll want to be Matthews or Eichel or Quinn Hughes, and say, “Wow, I want to be that guy some day.”

So, I think this team does have a tremendous opportunity to have an impact like the 1980 Miracle on Ice team, the 1996 Canada Cup-winning team, the 1998 gold medal women’s team, and some of the others too. I don't think we’ll be able to measure the specific impact it’ll have for a long time. But it’ll definitely be significant.

In breaking down the game Sunday, there are a few key factors involved.

First off, what will the status of forwards Tage Thompson and Sidney Crosby be? Thompson missed a chunk of Team USA’s 6-2 semifinal victory against Team Slovakia for precautionary reasons. Crosby practiced Saturday after missing Team Canada’s 3-2 semifinal win against Team Finland. So we’ll have to see.

Secondly, from a Team Canada standpoint, I look at that line that was put together late in the game against Finland that really kind of got them through a tough period, so to speak. Forwards Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett and Tom Wilson -- they made things happen, they were physical, they went hard to the net, and maybe they did affect Team Finland in a way that allowed the other players to make the plays when needed.

On the Team USA side, I think they’re very confident right now. Their four lines, and I think what they've done on the penalty kill, kind of shows how the roster was created, making sure that they took care of adding players that they had confidence in, that could get the job done in those situations. And I think that they should feel good about what they've done to get to this point.

Team Canada goalie Jordan Binnington has picked up right where he left off at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off a year ago when he helped Canada win the title. Figuring out how to rattle him and get to him would be one of the keys that is going to influence the game. If he plays the way he has, it’s going to be tough for Team USA.

It'll be one of those games that they're going to have to figure out how to neutralize forwards Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Macklin Celebrini, Mitch Marner and those guys. But if they can find a way to get to Binnington, get the Canadians a little bit on their heels as far as how they're going to defend, I think that'll help Team USA in lots of ways.

In closing, I’ve said it before and I'm going to say it again: The 2025 4 Nations Face-off title game — which Team Canada won 3-2 against Team USA on McDavid’s overtime goal — was the most intense game that I've ever watched. I felt like my heart rate went up as if I was on the bench from the start of that game until the overtime goal.

That's hard to do for an old player watching a game to feel that way.

And so I'm going to buckle up, and I’m going to enjoy every second of it.

And be grateful for the matchup we’re going to get.