ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Wild continued reshaping their hockey operations department on Monday, announcing three additions to the organization’s front office and scouting staff.
President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin announced the hiring of Dan MacKinnon as Assistant Director of Amateur Scouting, Janik Beichler as a European Amateur Scout and Elizabeth Hudson as Executive Assistant to the President/General Manager and Hockey Operations.
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The additions come at an important time for Minnesota after the organization recently saw changes within its scouting department. Former Director of Amateur Scouting Judd Brackett and Amateur scouts Dan Palango and J.P. Perpich all departed to join the Toronto Maple Leafs organization earlier this summer, creating openings that the Wild have now begun to fill.
Dan MacKinnon Brings Extensive NHL Front Office Experience
MacKinnon arrives in Minnesota after spending the past decade with the New Jersey Devils organization, where he most recently served as Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations and Assistant General Manager.
Prior to that role, he was the Devils’ Senior Director of Player Personnel, helping oversee the organization’s scouting efforts during a rebuilding period that produced one of the NHL’s top-ranked prospect pools. The Hockey News recognized New Jersey as having the league’s deepest under-23 prospect system in 2023.
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Before joining the Devils, MacKinnon spent 10 years with the Pittsburgh Penguins in various scouting and player personnel roles. During his tenure, Pittsburgh reached three Stanley Cup Finals and won championships in both 2009 and 2016.
His NHL resume also includes six seasons with the Nashville Predators and a season with the OHL’s Mississauga IceDogs before beginning his long front-office career.
Wild Expand European Scouting Department
Minnesota also added another experienced evaluator overseas by hiring Beichler as a European Amateur Scout.
The Germany native most recently served as Director of European Scouting for Elite Prospects during the 2025-26 season. Before that, he spent seven years scouting European talent for the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs and previously worked as a European scout for FCHockey.
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His addition further strengthens Minnesota’s international scouting network ahead of future NHL Drafts.
Hudson Joins Hockey Operations Team
The Wild also hired Hudson as Executive Assistant to the President/General Manager and Hockey Operations.
Hudson arrives after spending the past two seasons with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League, where she worked as an Administrative Coordinator before being promoted to Manager of Team Operations.
In addition to her hockey operations experience, Hudson has worked as a personal figure skating coach and as an Occupational Therapy Coordinator with Twin Cities Orthopedics.
With the additions of MacKinnon, Beichler and Hudson, the Wild continue to reshape their hockey operations department as Bill Guerin prepares the organization for the 2026-27 season.
