U.S. hockey GM relished role

Longtime USA Hockey executive and U.S. Olympic men’s hockey general manager Jim Johannson died unexpectedly Sunday at age 53, shocking the sport less than three weeks before the start of the Pyeongchang Games.

Johannson died in his sleep at his home in Colorado Springs, according to USA Hockey. His death came in the midst of the most high-profile role in his career: putting together the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team without NHL players going to South Korea, a position he relished after doing so at several world junior and world championships.

“He had a couple of the greatest days of his life at USA Hockey recently to be able to call all these guys that never thought in their lives they’d play on a U.S. Olympic hockey team, and he got to tell them that they realized a dream,” USA Hockey executive director Pat Kelleher said. “I think that meant as much to Jimmy as it did to any of the players.”

With the NHL out of the Olympics for the first time since 1994, Johannson was excited about putting together a 25-man roster that would include “25 great stories.” He picked former Wisconsin teammate Tony Granato as coach and on Jan. 1 unveiled a diverse roster of players from European professional leagues, the American Hockey League and the NCAA.

It’s unclear who would be in charge of choosing any potential injury replacements if needed. The U.S. opens the Olympics Feb. 14 against Slovenia.

Johannson, who played for the U.S. at the 1988 and 1992 Olympics, began working for USA Hockey in 2000. He was promoted to assistant executive director of hockey operations in 2007, overseeing the organization’s efforts in fielding teams for international competition.

The U.S. won 64 medals, including 34 gold, in major international competition during Johannson’s tenure. The Americans became a perennial threat to win the world junior championship, showing the program’s improvement.

“We lost a true friend in Jim Johannson today,” Granato said. “He was so compassionate and as loyal a friend as you could have. He was the ultimate teammate. I am deeply saddened and shocked and sorry that he is no longer with us. He was a special human being. Please pray for Jim’s wife and daughter, Abby and Ellie.”

Stephen Whyno is an Associated Press writer.