𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The timing of Judd Brackett’s departure from the Minnesota Wild could seem challenging, especially with the NHL Draft less than a month away.

But Brackett, the outgoing Wild director of amateur scouting, left his staff in good hands before taking an elevated role with the Toronto Maple Leafs, according to Minnesota’s president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Guerin.

“Judd was great in making sure everything was in place,” Guerin told The Athletic on Monday after the Leafs announced Brackett’s hiring as assistant GM and director of player evaluation. “I’m comfortable with our staff the way it is right now, and we’ll be prepared. It won’t be an issue.”

Brackett, 49, was in the final year of his contract. He was offered an extension by the Wild in December, but he wanted more responsibility and an elevated role. Minnesota already has three AGMs in Mat Sells, Chris Kelleher and Mike Murray — so that was not likely to happen here.

After five years of Brackett architecting the Wild’s drafts, Sells and director of European scouting Ricard Persson are expected to run this year’s draft on June 26 and 27.

“Judd and I have been on the same page,” Guerin said. “I knew Judd wanted a little bit more responsibility and kind of maybe grow a little bit. This was a great opportunity for him that he couldn’t pass up. We loved having Judd here. He did great work for us. But I think it’s a good sign for our organization that another team wanted one of our guys, and it’s a good reflection of the staff he put together to help make it successful.

“I always say it’s my staff that makes me look good. And I know it’s the same in amateur scouting that makes the director look good. You put all the pieces together. I think it’s a win-win for everybody. Really happy for Judd. He earned this.”

Guerin doesn’t expect Brackett’s right-hand man — scout Dan Palango, who followed Brackett from the Vancouver Canucks — to return. But Guerin isn’t planning a huge makeover of the rest of the scouting staff, many of whom are on expiring contracts.

“I’m very happy with the staff we have,” Guerin said. “The guys all work extremely hard and are dedicated.”

Guerin said he plans to conduct a wide search for Brackett’s replacement after the draft, looking at internal candidates and external. He doesn’t have a type in mind — younger, analytics-driven hire or old-school, boots-on-the-ground type — but stressed that it’d be someone with strong leadership and organizational qualities and someone who can blend a list of players from “all over the world.”

Guerin said that the candidate will have to agree with him on a philosophy on the type of players they want to draft — the identity they’re looking to build — but that he’d mostly give them plenty of freedom.

“A big part of the job is the organization of it,” Guerin said. “I’m not a hands-on GM when it comes to amateur scouting. I believe whoever is running this department needs to have a higher level of autonomy to run it, and we have to trust them. I’m not out there every day, attending amateur games. I just think if I’m doing that, I’m not paying attention to what’s going on here.”

Minnesota currently has five picks in the 2026 draft after trading its first-round pick to Vancouver in the Quinn Hughes deal, its second-round pick to the Nashville Predators in the 2025 Gustav Nyquist trade and its seventh-round pick to the Florida Panthers for Jeff Petry in March.

The Wild own their third-, fourth-, fifth- and sixth-rounders, plus a fifth from the San Jose Sharks, acquired in the 2023 Calen Addison trade.

The Wild had several hits in the first round under Brackett, including goalie Jesper Wallstedt at No. 20 in 2021, Marco Rossi at No. 9 in 2020 and Zeev Buium at No. 12 in 2024. Russian rookie center Danila Yurov was one of two first-rounders in 2022, joining Liam Ohgren (No. 19). Charlie Stramel, taken 21st in 2023, is now the team’s top prospect (and a potential trade chip this offseason).

The fact that the Wild had the kind of package to acquire Hughes in December — using prospects Buium, Rossi and Ohgren, along with a first-round pick — was a big feather in the cap of Brackett. You need those types of players to go big-game hunting like that.

Brackett’s record beyond the first round, however, wasn’t quite as strong. At least, it hasn’t shown itself to be yet.

There are a lot of prospects from Rounds 2 on that are still in the “we’ll see” category. Among those who seem like NHLers or are already there are defenseman Daemon Hunt (third round, 2020) and Hunter Haight (second round, 2022). David Spacek, taken in the fifth round in 2022, felt like he showed he could play in the NHL in two games this past season, but the Wild acquired veteran Jeff Petry at the deadline to be the seventh defenseman for the playoffs instead of bringing him up.

Marat Khusnutdinov, a second-rounder in 2020, racked up 15 goals last season in an elevated role with the Bruins. Winger Adam Benak, a 5-foot-7 2025 fourth-rounder, is an intriguing prospect and is tearing up the OHL. But the bevy of defense prospects drafted in the past five years have yet to really make it, with 2021 first-round pick Carson Lambos playing in one NHL game and 2020 second-rounder Ryan O’Rourke playing zero and now with a different organization.

Guerin believes the team is now in a Cup window, which stresses the importance on hitting on those mid- to late-round draft picks, as the first- and second-rounders will often be used in trades to improve the current roster.

“It’s huge,” Guerin said. “The later-round picks are becoming more and more important.”

Like with any team’s scouting staff, there have been misses under Brackett’s tenure, including taking Jack Peart over Matthew Knies in the second round in 2021. Peart went 54th, Knies 57th.

We asked Brackett last year if he had any regrets from his time with Minnesota.

“Always,” Brackett said. “This is an incredibly humbling business. We’re talking about 17-, 18-year-olds. This is a draft and development, much like MLB. It’s not a plug-and-play into your lineup and your scheme. It can be very humbling. What you thought might happen doesn’t. There’s always times where you love a player and someone picks them two picks in front of you. The opportunity wasn’t there to do it.

“There’s always retrospect and looking back and learning from it. I try not to name names on the record. But there are players we look back on and say, ‘Man, we were so close,’ or, ‘We had it this way. Imagine if it was one or two off?’ But you stay to your core values and stick with your staff and truly believe in the picks you make, you’re going to be thrilled with what you have and stand behind the player you picked and hope they continue to develop the way you envisioned on draft day.”

New goaltending wrinkle

The Wild created a new position for an interesting hire on Monday, bringing in Sylvain Rodrigue as director of goaltending. Rodrigue will work with the organization’s goalie coaches in the NHL and AHL while assisting on amateur and professional player evaluation and working with drafted and signed goaltenders from a developmental perspective. 

Rodrigue, 52, spent the past two seasons with the Panthers as a goaltending coach for the Charlotte Checkers (AHL). The Montreal native spent 11 seasons in various roles with the Oilers, including goaltending consultant and goaltending development coach.