The Wild named Judd Brackett director of amateur scouting on Thursday, bringing in the longtime scout after his departure from the Canucks organization earlier this year.
Brackett will run the Wild's draft and oversee an amateur scouting staff that continues to evolve. In May, the team confirmed it wasn't renewing the contracts of co-director of amateur scouting Darren Yopyk and amateur scout Ernie Vargas. Last year, Yopyk ran the draft with PJ Fenton, the team's other co-director of amateur scouting at the time.
Brackett, 43, spent the previous 12 seasons with the Canucks, serving as an amateur scout for seven seasons before being named their director of amateur scouting in 2015. During that tenure, Vancouver drafted an impressive stable of young players — including center Elias Pettersson, defenseman Quinn Hughes and right winger Brock Boeser.
This year's draft is expected to be held after the current season finishes, probably in October.
The Wild is set to face off against the Canucks in a best-of-five qualifying matchup as part of the 24-team tournament to resume the season. If it loses that series, it will have a 1-in-8 chance to snag the No. 1 pick after the draft lottery last month awarded the top selection to a team that will be eliminated in the qualifying round.
That drawing will happen between the qualifying round and the first round of the playoffs.
Team, NHL contribute to Dumba fundraiser
Wild defenseman Matt Dumba's fundraiser to help rebuild Lake Street from the damage occurring in the aftermath of George Floyd's death received a $100,000 donation from the NHL and Wild, with each contributing $50,000 to the cause.
Dumba partnered in June with the Lake Street Council to make sure small businesses and nonprofits in the community get the help they need. He also pledged to match donations up to $100,000. Dumba also helped create the Hockey Diversity Alliance to eliminate racism and intolerance in hockey.
