Hockey dads are generally very supportive, and most of them dream of seeing their kids make it. But AHL’s Utica Comets general manager Dan MacKinnon just did something that has left the hockey world stunned.
Will MacKinnon, a 24-year-old defenseman, made his AHL debut during the 2024-25 season. He played junior hockey at the University of New Hampshire, where he served as team captain in his final year. This season, he has played 42 games for the Utica Comets in the AHL. But there won’t be any more—thanks to his dad.
Hockey dads are known for their dedication, driving their kids to practices and games so they can play the sport they love. But Dan MacKinnon did something almost unheard of in hockey history. On Tuesday, the AHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils announced that they had traded Will MacKinnon to the Cleveland Monsters. The twist? The trade was orchestrated by none other than his own father, Dan MacKinnon, the Comets’ general manager.
AHL trade stuns fans
You’d think the AHL team at least got something valuable in return, right? Well, not exactly. MacKinnon traded his son in exchange for “future considerations”—which, almost always, amount to nothing.
News of the rare father-son trade quickly went viral on social media, with many fans finding it hilarious:
“That’s gonna make the next family get-together awkward,” one user joked.
“It’s like telling your kid to move out because they’re getting too old,” another added.
“Savage,” a third simply wrote.
“Rough, especially for Future Considerations. That’s gonna sting a bit,” a fourth quipped.
READ MORE: Fans are losing it after controversial penalty call on Matt Rempe
