Minor League Hockey Team GM Traded His Own Son for Future Considerations

Karl Rasmussen | Mar 13, 2025

Utica Comets defenseman Will MacKinnon / Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

What would it take you to trade your own son if you were the general manager of a professional sports team?

For Utica Comets GM Dan MacKinnon, it seems the answer to that question would be: not a whole lot.

On Thursday, the Comets, the AHL affiliate of the NHL's New Jersey Devils, announced they'd traded defenseman Will MacKinnon to the Cleveland Monsters in exchange for future considerations. Will is the son of the general manager, who of course was the one who signed off on the deal. As such, Dan effectively traded his own flesh and blood for a return that will be determined later.

NEWS: Will MacKinnon has been traded to the Cleveland Monsters for Future Considerations.

Thanks for everything, Mack! pic.twitter.com/R0RtGpJntd

— Utica Comets (@UticaComets) March 13, 2025

Will, 24, registered four points across 42 games for the Comets this season. He was in his second season with the AHL organization after previously representing the Reading Royals in the ECHL and playing college hockey for the University of New Hampshire.

The Monsters and Comets don't play each other again this season, having already faced off four times, with Cleveland holding the upper hand in the season series, 3–1.

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