Downers Grove Native Granato Takes Another Big Step Forward

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — Shattering glass ceilings has never been an issue for Cammi Granato, especially when it comes to hockey.

The Downers Grove native has used the game not only to make a name for herself, but to show that even when roles within hockey seem to be traditionally held by men, she has the ability to make her mark.

After breaking into the National Hockey League with as a scout with the expansion Seattle Kraken, Granato was named as the assistant general manager of the Vancouver Canucks last week. For Granato, who is the all-time leading scorer in the history of the U.S. women's hockey team, leaving another mark on the game she loves so much is further proof that there is no stopping someone who believes in her abilities.

"Maybe this conversation will change, and in 10 years it won't be a big deal or five years it won't be a big deal when other teams follow suit," Granato said in a news conference last week when she was announced as the new assistant general manager.

Granato, 50, moves into the administrative role in Vancouver after joining Seattle as a pro scout in 2019. She got her first shot in the NHL after first captaining the U.S. women's team to a gold medal in the 1998 Winter Olympics when the Americans beat Canada. Granato also owns a silver medal from the 2002 Winter Games and finished her playing career with USA Hockey with 343 points (186 goals and 157 assists).

Eight years after the silver medal appearance in Salt Lake City, Granato became one of the first two women inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, joining Canadian Angela James.

The Canucks said that in her role, Granato will oversee the team's player development program and pro scouting operation.

"Cammi is a tremendous leader and has earned the respect of the hockey world. She has a great mind for the game and experience and influence at all levels," Canucks President of hockey operations Jim Rutherford said in a statement.

Granato joins Emilie Castonguay as another assistant general manager with the Canucks and becomes the third woman to hold the role in the NHL.

"It's a dream to have an opportunity like this in the city that I call home, and with an exciting young team with championship aspirations," Granato told reporters last week.

"Jim (Rutherford) and I had some great conversations. He had a lot of wonderful things to say about what his vision is, he's a great person, so it was really exciting to hear about the opportunity. I didn't sleep a lot this week after a lot of nights thinking about taking the job and how it would all work."

The opportunity came after Granato became the first female to work in the NHL as a pro scout when she was hired in Seattle. At the time, she said that if she could use the platform to inspire young girls to chase their dreams especially in big roles.

Now she's ready to take the next step in what has already been an impressive career working in roles that before her, were only held by men. Now as an NHL executive, Granato hopes to shape the Canucks in the same matter in which she grew up playing hockey where everyone has an equal voice.

I'm a team player, I grew up in a team environment from the start, and that was one of the first things Jim talked about was how collaborative we'll all be," Granato told reporters last week. "All voices will be heard on leadership, hockey ops, things that come up, and I really love that idea that we can work together, on a flat level together, and share all of our ideas. That's really exciting and I think a super healthy way to run a team."