Tony Granato to take leave of absence from NBC Sports Chicago following cancer diagnosis

Tony Granato to take leave of absence from NBC Sports Chicago following cancer diagnosis originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

Longtime hockey coach Tony Granato will take a temporary leave of absence as Blackhawks analyst on NBC Sports Chicago after being diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, he announced on social media Sunday night.

In a post on X, Granato said he was recently diagnosed with a form of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and will begin treatment this week.

“I wish I could reach out to everyone individually, but felt like this was the best way to share the news,” he said, in part. “My family, faith, and friends will be my strength to help me through my treatments…”

Granato said he appreciates the love and support he has received, and with the holidays underway, encouraged people to cherish time with those they love.

“With the holiday season here, cherish the times with your loved ones, as I know I will,” he said.

A Downers Grove native, Granato was drafted by the New York Rangers in 1982 and had runs with the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks before beginning his coaching career with the Colorado Avalanche, where he served as both assistant and head coach.

He also led the United States men’s national ice hockey team as head coach at the 2018 Winter Olympics and was most recently head coach of the University of Wisconsin Badger’s men’s hockey team from 2016 to 2023.

Granato joined NBC Sports Chicago’s studio team for the 2023-24 season as a Blackhawks analyst. The veteran coach appeared on a Blackhawks Talk podcast with NBC Sports Chicago’s Pat Boyle and Charlie Roumeliotis in September ahead of the season, where he shared his background on coaching, growing up as a Blackhawks fan in the Chicago area, future of the team and more.

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