Tony Granato
A fiery competitor whose heart-on-sleeve passion defined his play and later his coaching behind the benches of the NHL and Olympics.
Born 1964 (age 62)·American ice hockey player and coach·Birthday: July 25·Baby Boomers
Biography
Tony Granato's story is etched in the hard-nosed, blue-collar ethos of Chicago hockey. He wasn't the most gifted skater, but he played with a relentless engine and a scoring touch that made him a fan favorite. After a standout career at the University of Wisconsin, he carved out a 13-year NHL journey, most memorably with the New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings, where his 1988-89 39-goal season announced his arrival. His playing style—fearless and direct—carried into his coaching. Following a serious head injury as a player, he transitioned to behind the bench, serving as an assistant for Cup-winning teams in Pittsburgh and Detroit. As head coach of the Colorado Avalanche, he brought a fiery, emotional leadership. Later, he returned to his alma mater to lead the Wisconsin Badgers and answered the call to coach the U.S. men's Olympic team in 2018, embodying the American grit he always displayed.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Tony was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tony Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Tony's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored 248 goals and 492 points over a 13-season NHL career as a forward.
- Served as head coach of the United States men's national team at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.
- Named head coach of the Colorado Avalanche in 2002 and again in 2008, leading them to a Northwest Division title in his first stint.
- Won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 1997 for perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey after returning from a severe head injury.
Did You Know?
His sister, Cammi Granato, is a Hockey Hall of Famer and pioneer of women's ice hockey.
He and his three brothers all played Division I college hockey.
He required brain surgery after being struck in the temple by a slap shot while playing for the San Jose Sharks in 1996.
He was inducted into the University of Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012.
“You have to have a passion for the game. If you don't have that, you're in the wrong business.”
