CALGARY – Hockey Canada announced on Tuesday that that the NHL’s Minnesota Wild have hired Blair Mackasey. Mackasey will serve as the Wild’s first Director of Professional Scouting, and will oversee the organization’s scouting of the pro level as well as its staffing of professional scouts.

Mackasey, of Beaconsfield, QC, joined Hockey Canada as Head Scout in June, 2002 and was named Hockey Canada’s Director, Player Personnel in July 2005.  Prior to joining Hockey Canada, Mackasey was a member of the Phoenix Coyotes' scouting staff for six seasons (1996-2002), based out of Quebec.

“We would like to thank Blair Mackasey for his dedication and commitment to Hockey Canada.  While we are sorry to lose such a great person with our organization, we are pleased for him and know that he will do an outstanding job with the Wild.  The Minnesota Wild are gaining a quality individual with an exceptional eye for talent,” said Bob Nicholson, President of Hockey Canada.

Hockey Canada will not immediately hire a replacement to fill Mackasey’s now vacant position as Director, Player Personnel until the spring, as it will re-evaluate its hockey operations structure at that time.  Mackasey has already done significant preparation and evaluation for Canada’s team for the IIHF World Under-18 Championship in April.

For the past three seasons, Mackasey was responsible for all player evaluation and player selections for Canada’s National Junior Team Development and Selection Camps as well as the Canada's Men's Under-18 Program.  Mackasey also assisted Team Canada’s Executive Director Wayne Gretzky and Canada’s management and coaching staff in player evaluations for Canada’s 2006 Men’s Olympic Hockey Team.

In three seasons with Hockey Canada, Mackasey won back to back World Junior gold medals (20) and two silver medals (2004 and  2003), overseeing player selection and operations of Canada’s National Junior Team at the IIHF World Junior Championship.  Mackasey also won two gold medals with Canada’s National Under-18 Summer Team at the Junior World Cup (2005, 2004), a silver medal with Canada’s National Under-18 Team at the World Championship in April, 2005 and a gold medal in 2003.

Mackasey, a NCCP Advanced 2 certified coach, was an assistant coach in Hockey Canada's High Performance Program, winning a gold medal with Canada’s National Junior Team in 1996 and a gold medal with Canada’s National Under-18 Team in 1994, and also coached Quebec's Under-17 team to a silver medal victory at the 1992 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.