Wild Add Dan MacKinnon, Promote Goligoski in Front Office Moves
Minnesota hired Dan MacKinnon as Assistant Director of Amateur Scouting and promoted Alex Goligoski to Player Development Coach on August 3.
The Minnesota Wild announced four changes to their hockey operations staff on August 3, hiring Dan MacKinnon as Assistant Director of Amateur Scouting, Janik Beichler as a European Amateur Scout, and Elizabeth Hudson as Executive Assistant to the President/GM and Hockey Operations. Alex Goligoski was promoted to Player Development Coach.
MacKinnon joins Minnesota after 10 seasons with the New Jersey Devils, where he most recently served as Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations and Assistant General Manager from 2019 to 2026. According to nhl.com, he helped build what The Hockey News recognized as the deepest U23 prospect pool in the NHL in 2023. Before New Jersey, MacKinnon spent a decade with the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he was part of two Stanley Cup championships in 2009 and 2016.
The moves come after Minnesota lost Director of Amateur Scouting Judd Brackett and scouts Dan Palango and J.P. Perpich to the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier this summer, according to thehockeynews.com. On June 30, the Wild promoted Ricard Persson to Director of Amateur Scouting after eight seasons as Director of European Scouting.
Beichler, who resides in Dusseldorf, Germany, spent the 2025-26 season as Director of European Scouting at Elite Prospects. He previously worked seven years as a European Scout for the WHL's Spokane Chiefs.
Hudson arrives from the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, where she spent two seasons as Administrative Coordinator and Manager of Team Operations.
Goligoski played three seasons with Minnesota from 2021 to 2024, recording 475 points in 1,078 career NHL games. He served as Player Development Advisor last season before his promotion.
