Rumor: Maple Leafs stealing top scout from Minnesota Wild.

Earlier today news broke that a key figure in the Minnesota Wild's front office was leaving the organization for a rival team and, while we did not know at the time which team that may be, reports are now pointing to a team north of the border.

According to a report from National Hockey League insider Elliotte Friedman, the Toronto Maple Leafs have been linked to now former Wild director of amateur scouting Judd Bracket, with the Leafs reportedly prepared to give Brackett a significant promotion by making him assistant general manager.

Brackett has had a very successful track record in the amateur draft over the last several years, making key selections for both the Vancouver Canucks organization and the Wild organization during his tenures with those respective teams.

In Vancouver, Brackett was instrumental in the selections of players like Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser, but most important of all Brackett is largely credited with having pushed for the selection of defenseman Quinn Hughes. Hughes was of course selected 7th overall at the 2018 NHL Entry Draft and has since gone on to become one of the most dominant defensemen in the entire league.

Funnily enough, Brackett would also prove instrumental in bringing Hughes to the Minnesota Wild as well. Through his draft selections, Brackett laid the groundwork for what would eventually be the trade that made Hughes a member of the Wild. In that deal the Wild sent Zeev Buium, Marco Rossi, and Liam Ohgren to the Canucks, all of whom were selected by Brackett.

The Wild also benefitted from the strong play of goaltender Jesper Wallstedt this season, another player that proved to be a strong late first-round selection on the part of Brackett who is credited with running the last 5 drafts for the Wild and selected Wallstedt 20th overall at the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.

Stay tuned for more on this developing story.