Maple Leafs hire Judd Brackett, Freddie Hamilton for roles in front office

The Leafs announced the hirings of Judd Brackett as assistant general manager, player evaluation, and Freddie Hamilton as chief of staff.

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Published Jun 01, 2026  •  1 minute read

Judd Brackett and Freddie Hamilton. Photo by Postmedia File Photos

John Chayka has added to the Maple Leafs’ front office.

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The Leafs on Monday announced the hiring of Judd Brackett as assistant general manager, player evaluation, and Freddie Hamilton as chief of staff.

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The 49-year-old Brackett, a Massachusetts native, will oversee player evaluation across amateur and professional scouting.

The 34-year-old Hamilton, a native of Toronto, will support strategic planning and cross-functional initiatives across the hockey operations department while working closely with the club’s leadership group.

Brackett has an extensive background in scouting, including stints with the Minnesota Wild and Vancouver Canucks as the director of amateur scouting. He has also worked the past three world junior championships as a scout with USA Hockey.

New hires come after assistant GMs leave

“We are thrilled to welcome Judd to our organization,” Chayka, the Leafs GM, said in a statement. “He has established one of the strongest amateur scouting and drafting track records in the NHL and has demonstrated an ability to adapt and evolve his approach as the game changes.

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“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.”

Hamilton’s 75-game playing career in the NHL ended in 2017-18 with the Arizona Coyotes when Chayka was GM of the team. Since, Hamilton, the older brother of New Jersey Devils defenceman Dougie Hamilton, earned his MBA from Yale University before working in private equity.

“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. 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.”

The new hires come after the Leafs announced two weeks ago that assistant general manager Brandon Pridham and assistant GM, player personnel Derek Clancey are leaving the organization.

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