Like many people, Luke Kunin saw the rumors swirling Thursday night that Tony Granato, his former college coach, would be named the bench boss for the United States hockey team that will compete in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

When the news was officially announced on Friday , Kunin, a first-round draft pick by the Wild in 2016, wasn't the least bit surprised.

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"I obviously thought he was going to be a candidate for it, and I don't think there's a better person for the job," Kunin told Sporting News. "I'm very excited for him, and I know that he's going to do great."

Granato, the head coach of the University of Wisconsin's hockey team, was formally introduced on Friday by the USA Hockey brass as its 2018 Olympic head coach. Kunin was the captain of Granato's most recent Badgers team, before he turned pro, signing with the Wild following his sophomore season.

What Kunin said he learned over the past year is that Granato, who had NHL coaching gigs in Colorado, Pittsburgh, and most recently Detroit, knows how to motivate his players and understands what it takes to be successful at hockey's highest level.

"He's an unbelievable teacher, not only with the game, but he's helped me a ton away from the rink as well," Kunin said. "He'll do anything for his guys. When you've got a guy like that leading the charge it's pretty easy to play and compete for a guy like that."

In previous Olympic years, USA Hockey might not have sought out a teacher. With NHL players having made up Olympic rosters since 1998, the talent pool and the participants were top-tier pros with top-level experience.

Without the inclusion of NHL players, though, USA Hockey said it would turn to minor league players, those in the college ranks, and some from overseas. Granato has experience working with players at each of those levels.

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"For me, Tony made the most sense for a whole lot of reasons," said Jim Johansson, who will serve as general manager of the Olympic team.

And in the same vein, Kunin said he sees Granato as a logical fit for the job, one that will involve more teaching and guidance than in a conventional Olympic year.

"I don't think there's anyone that deserves it more than him," Kunin said. "He's a competitor and he's a worker and he expects results with his group and with himself. I see no difference going into picking this team of Olympic guys, and you can expect guys that are going to want to win, and are going to win. That's going to be his mindset."

Granato recently helped turn around the team at Wisconsin, which went 20-15-1 in 2016-17, Granato's first season as head coach, after going 8-19-8 the year prior.

The United States is also hoping for a comeback of sorts. Most recently the Americans went 0-3 at the World Cup of Hockey in September 2016. The U.S. failed to medal at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi after winning silver at Vancouver in 2010.

These Olympics are more of a wild card given the lack of NHL participation, but Johansson, Granato and company made it clear the goal is still to win a gold medal.

"We had a couple of down years here at Wisconsin, and to take our group and to turn it around pretty much night-and-day, to be able to do that speaks for itself," Kunin said.

Kunin himself has come up through the amateur ranks and played a major role for USA Hockey. He was a member of the 2017 World Junior team, and also led the United States to gold at the 2015 IIHF Under-18 World Championship, when he served as captain with a roster comprised of the likes of Auston Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk.

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Had Kunin stayed at Madison for his junior season, he would likely be on the shortlist of college players to receive major consideration for a roster spot for the 2018 Olympic team. But the 19-year-old signed with Minnesota March 23, getting in 12 American Hockey League games at the end of the season.

The NHL announced its decision regarding the Olympics 11 days later.

"Maybe it would have made it a little bit harder (knowing about the Olympics), but definitely this would have been the route I would have taken, to turn pro," Kunin said. "I feel that it's the right thing for me."

Johansson reaffirmed on Friday that USA Hockey will honor the NHL's decision, citing the longstanding good relationship between the league and the USA Hockey.

Kunin said he is hopeful his USA Hockey days are not behind him.

"Whenever I have the opportunity to wear the USA red, white, and blue, I'm always going to say 'yes,'" he said. "Tony said it today: There's no greater honor than playing for your country and representing the USA. That kind of speaks for itself.

"Whenever I get asked to play for my country, there's no thinking twice; I'm always all-in. If that opportunity hopefully comes more in the future, whether it's (the Olympics) or something down the road, I'm definitely saying 'yes.' But that's kind of out of my control."