A familiar former Wild skater is moving up in Minnesota’s hockey operations ranks.
On Monday, general manager Bill Guerin announced several staff changes, headlined by a new role for Alex Goligoski. The former NHL defenseman has been elevated from player development advisor to player development coach.
Goligoski’s path back into hockey has been a quick one. Minnesota brought him in before the 2025-26 season, and it was his first job in the sport after retiring from playing following the 2023-24 season. The Grand Rapids, Minn. native finished his career where it made the most sense for him to do it, spending his final three NHL seasons with the Wild.
During that stretch, Goligoski played in 152 regular-season games and posted four goals and 42 assists for 46 points. He also appeared in four games for Minnesota during the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
His NHL resume stretches far beyond his time in St. Paul.
Across 1,078 regular-season games over 17 seasons, Goligoski skated for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Dallas Stars and Arizona Coyotes, piling up 87 goals and 388 assists for 475 points. He added 21 points in 47 postseason games and was part of Pittsburgh’s Stanley Cup-winning team in 2009.
Minnesota also added Dan MacKinnon as assistant director of amateur scouting. MacKinnon spent the last 10 seasons with the New Jersey Devils, including the previous seven as senior VP of hockey operations and assistant general manager. Before that, he logged 10 years with the Penguins as a head professional scout, director of player personnel and director of professional scouting.
The Wild also brought in Jankik Biechier as a European amateur scout. He comes from Elite Prospects, where he was director of European scouting, and previously spent seven seasons as a European scout for the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League.
In Other News...
Sidney Crosby Changes Add To One Growing Penguins Offseason Question
Sidney Crosbys offseason routine is getting a little different this summer, which is enough to catch the eye in Pittsburgh even before the roster chatter really ramps up. The captain is in the middle of his usual preparation work, but the broader Penguins backdrop has also shifted, with the organization adjusting its prospects tournament location after the Buffalo run wrapped up.
The timing adds another layer to a summer already full of NHL trade noise, and the Red Wings have been part of that larger conversation as teams look around the league for movement. For the Penguins, the real question is how all of these small offseason changes fit together, and whether they end up being background detail or the start of a busier stretch ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Tanner Howe Is Giving The Penguins A Prospect Worth Watching
Tanner Howe is heading into his first full professional season with something the Penguins like to see in a young player: a useful debut, a strong recovery track and a reputation that travels well inside the organization. After ACL surgery in April 2025, Howe still got into the mix with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in February, and he made the most of the opportunity by showing he could contribute right away in the AHL while adjusting to the pace and demands of pro hockey.
His first stretch with the Penguins' affiliate produced 16 points in 27 regular-season games, then five more in 14 playoff games, a solid opening act for a player still working back to full strength. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton assistant general manager Amanda Kessel has pointed to Howe's versatility and work ethic during both the recovery process and his first pro season, the kind of praise that suggests there is more room for him to grow into a prospect worth keeping a close eye on. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Just Sent A Frustrating Message About This Offseason
The Penguins offseason took another turn when they locked up second-line center Tommy Novak on a three-year deal worth $13.95 million, a move that caught plenty of fans off guard. Novak had been expected by many to test free agency, so the extension instantly changed the conversation around Pittsburghs roster-building plans and the way the front office is approaching the summer.
Novaks new contract also adds another layer of uncertainty to what comes next, because it affects how the Penguins can navigate future trades and free-agent additions. Its the kind of move that can signal stability on paper while also making it harder to sort out opportunities for younger players trying to push into bigger roles. [Read more 🡒]