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Credit: USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCredit: USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
The Minnesota Wild are going to see some major changes<\/a> this offseason, no matter which way you slice it. Most of those changes will be on the ice, where team president of hockey operations Bill Guerin made it extremely clear during his end-of-season press conference that no player is off the table<\/a> during trade talks.<\/p>\n If the right deal presents itself, Billy and his front office will do everything in their power to add an elite talent at forward, preferably a center. One place they won\u2019t get an opportunity to reel in that type of talent is in the 2026 NHL Draft, which will take place later this month (June 26-27).<\/p>\n As was the case last year, the Minnesota Wild do not have a first round pick in 2026. It was traded away as part of the massive package<\/a> sent to Vancouver, in exchange for Quinn Hughes. In fact, the Wild don\u2019t have a second round selection this year either. Billy traded that to Nashville last year for Gustav Nyquist<\/p>\n Minnesota Wild lose Judd Brackett to Toronto<\/p>\n Maybe Minnesota\u2019s lack of draft capital played a role in Guerin\u2019s draft guru, Judd Brackett, leaving the organization on Monday. For the past five years, Brackett\u2019s official title with the MN Wild was director of amateur scouting.<\/p>\n This morning, news broke that Brackett isn\u2019t just leaving St. Paul, MN \u2014 but the United States of America, after accepting an offer to become the Toronto Maple Leafs new assistant manager.<\/p>\n We have appointed Judd Brackett as Assistant General Manager, Player Evaluation, and Freddie Hamilton as Chief of Staff. pic.twitter.com\/3HwXpi0toG<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) June 1, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Obviously, with the draft just a couple of months away, the timing of Brackett\u2019s departure isn\u2019t ideal. But that\u2019s how life works in professional sports sometimes.<\/p>\n As much as the Wild value their draft guru \u2014 who played a key role in drafting a handful of first round picks that made Minnesota\u2019s farm system one of the best in hockey<\/a>, leading up to the Quinn Hughes trade \u2014 they already have three assistant GMs on Guerin\u2019s staff.<\/p>\n According to<\/a> Michael Russo (The Athletic)<\/a>, Guerin offered Brackett \u2014 who was in the final year of his contract with the Wild \u2014 a contract extension back in December that he never signed. And unfortunately, there was no room for a promotion in Minnesota.<\/p>\n So now, the MN Wild will now entrust AGM Matt Sells \u2014 along with director of European scouting, Ricard Persson \u2014 to take control of the organization\u2019s 2026 draft plans.<\/p>\n The Wild offered him an extension in December, but Brackett was seeking more responsibility and an elevated role with the franchise. With three assistant GMs \u2014 Mat Sells, Chris Kelleher and Mike Murray \u2014 promoting Brackett was not something Wild GM and president of hockey operations Bill Guerin was willing to do.<\/p>\n Brackett will not run the Wild\u2019s draft this month. Sells and director of European scouting Ricard Persson are expected to run the draft until Guerin opens the director of amateur scouting role to internal and external candidates.<\/p>\n Michael Russo \u2013 The Athletic<\/a><\/p>\n Related: Icy Relations Between MN Wild and Russian Agent Could Doom Contract Extension<\/a><\/p>\n Who knows how many draft picks the Minnesota Wild will have in either of the next two drafts, given what Bill Guerin plans to do this offseason. Obviously, the raise and promotion to assistant GM would be reason enough alone to leave.<\/p>\n But let\u2019s be honest\u2026 who would want to be the Wild\u2019s director of amateur scouting right now? That has to be top-10 most frustrating high-level executive jobs in all of pro sports, given how trigger happy Bill Guerin has been in trading away draft capital.<\/p>\n Personally, I love Guerin\u2019s aggressive approach. But I can\u2019t imagine it was all that fun for Brackett.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMentioned in this article: Bill Guerin<\/a> Judd Brackett<\/a> Toronto Maple Leafs<\/a> <\/p>\n More About:Minnesota Wild<\/a><\/p>\n Add MinnesotaSportsFan as a preferred source on Google. \t\t\t![\"Add](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/google_preferred_source_badge.png\"){kind=icon}
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