The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced today that the hockey club has appointed Judd Brackett as Assistant General Manager, Player Evaluation, and Freddie Hamilton as Chief of Staff.
Brackett will oversee player evaluation across both amateur and professional scouting.
Brackett, 49, spent five seasons with the Minnesota Wild as Director of Amateur Scouting. He also worked with Team USA at the each of the last three IIHF World Junior Championships. Before joining Minnesota, the Harwich, Massachusetts native spent 12 seasons with the Vancouver Canucks, first as an amateur scout before serving five seasons as Director of Amateur Scouting.
“We are thrilled to welcome Judd to our organization,” said Maple Leafs General Manager John Chayka. “He has established one of the strongest amateur scouting and drafting track records in the NHL and has consistently demonstrated an ability to adapt and evolve his approach as the game changes. As we continue to build our hockey operations department, Judd will play a key role in integrating traditional scouting, video analysis, and data-driven insights to strengthen our decision-making process.”
As Chief of Staff, Hamilton will support strategic planning and cross-functional initiatives across the hockey operations department while working closely with the club’s leadership group. The 34-year-old was selected by the San Jose Sharks in the fifth round (129th overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft. He played 75 NHL regular-season games with San Jose, Colorado, Calgary, and Arizona. Following his retirement, Hamilton earned his MBA from Yale University before gaining experience in private equity with Bolt Ventures.
“We are excited to add Freddie to our hockey operations department,” said Chayka. “Throughout his playing career, Freddie distinguished himself through his character, professionalism, and work ethic. Since retiring, he has built an impressive career in business and finance, gaining valuable experience across investing, strategy and organizational leadership. His diverse background and collaborative approach will make him a valuable addition to our group as we execute key strategic initiatives and strengthen alignment across our hockey operations department.”
