Reports: Wisconsin to name Tony Granato new men's hockey head coach

Former Badger Tony Granato will be named Wisconsin's new men's hockey head coach, ESPN's John Buccigross reported Sunday. Granato played at Wisconsin from 1983-87 and was a finalist for the 1987 Hobey Baker Award.

Currently an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings, Granato played 13 seasons in the NHL before moving over to coaching in 2002. He was a member of the 1988 U.S. Olympic team.

Earlier this month, Wisconsin fired Mike Eaves, who had led the program since the 2002-03 season.

Multiple sources tell me Tony Granato will be the next Head Hockey Coach at Wisconsin. Brother Donny will likely join him on staff.

— John Buccigross (@Buccigross) March 27, 2016

I'm told the Wisconsin announcement will come this week. #CawlidgeHawkey

— John Buccigross (@Buccigross) March 27, 2016

Buccigross also reported that Granato's brother, Don, will join him as an assistant coach. Don played for the Badgers from 1987-91 and was a rumored hire prior to the 2015-16 season as an assistant to Eaves, though he later reportedly removed himself from the conversation. He also has been coaching with the U.S. national team development program and won a U-18 world championship in 2015.

Granato's other rumored assistant coach is Mark Osiecki, reports USCHO.com. Osiecki, who played at Wisconsin from 1987-90, was an assistant to Eaves from 2004-2010 before he left to be the head coach at Ohio State. He was in the discussion to re-join Eaves's staff in 2015, and has been working as an assistant for the AHL Rockford Ice Hogs, the farm team of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Granato would be Wisconsin's fifth head coach in the modern era after the Badgers' program restarted in 1963.