Well, Utica Comets general manager Dan MacKinnon isn’t doing much to convince his son, Will, that he’s deserving of a special Father’s Day gift this year.
On Thursday, the AHL club and affiliate of the NHL’s New Jersey Devils announced that they traded defenseman Will MacKinnon to the Cleveland Monsters in exchange for only “future considerations.”
Not only did Dan MacKinnon trade away his own son, but “future considerations” is basically the Utica Comets’ nice way of telling Cleveland to take him for free. As the clubs play in the AHL, there aren’t any draft picks or prospects for the Monsters to give up in a trade.
NEWS: Will MacKinnon has been traded to the Cleveland Monsters for Future Considerations.
— Utica Comets (@UticaComets) March 13, 2025
Thanks for everything, Mack! pic.twitter.com/R0RtGpJntd
The 24-year-old MacKinnon registered four assists in 42 games with the Comets before the trade. He split the 2023-24 season with the Comets (three goals and three assists in 40 games) and ECHL’s Adirondack Thunder.
As you’d expect, social media was full of priceless reactions to the Will MacKinnon trade:
“I guess this is why you do your chores when your father asks you to 🤦🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️,” wrote one fan.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NHL stories via Google! Follow Us
I guess this is why you do your chores when your father asks you to 🤦🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
— Leafs Nation (@OurLeafsNation) March 13, 2025
“Father’s day is gonna be pretty messed up this year,” another said.
Father's day is gonna be pretty messed up this year.
— Bob Heck (@Heckah) March 14, 2025
“That is harsh, Dan have fun explaining that to Wills mother.😱” a user quipped.
That is harsh, Dan have fun explaining that to Wills mother.😱
— 🍢Osceola 5 🍢🏈⚾️🏒✈️🇺🇸 (@ecelli05) March 14, 2025
“And TO CLEVELAND wow what did this kid do to deserve that from Pops,” wrote another.
And TO CLEVELAND wow what did this kid do to deserve that from Pops
— Idaho Joe ❄️ 🏆 🏒 (@IdahoJoe_) March 13, 2025
“You couldn’t just take his phone away for the night like a normal parent?” asked a fan.
You couldn’t just take his phone away for the night like a normal parent?
— Sam Adams (@SoberSamAdams) March 13, 2025
“Trading your son for Future Considerations is DIABOLICAL 😭,” wrote Bleacher Report’s Open Ice account.
The GM of the Utica Comets, Dan MacKinnon, traded his son Will MacKinnon for Future Considerations…
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 13, 2025
Trading your son for Future Considerations is DIABOLICAL 😭 pic.twitter.com/wxYDB9mg8c
Dan MacKinnon has been the GM of the Utica Comets for six seasons and counting. He previously worked in the Pittsburgh Penguins front office and was on staff for the team’s back-to-back Stanley Cup victories in 2016 and 2017.
The Utica Comets’ original franchise was the affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks from 2013-14 to 2020-21, before relocating to Abbotsford, British Columbia. The team name was changed to “Canucks”, and New Jersey’s Binghamton Devils AHL Affiliate relocated to Utica and inherited the “Comets” name.
Utica Comets Doing What’s Best For Business
Jokes aside, Dan MacKinnon and the front office should be applauded for simply doing what’s best for business. Will was struggling to perform at both ends of the ice, with the Comets making him a healthy scratch leading up to the trade.
Harsh as it may seem to some, Dan and the Comets are in a results-oriented business.
Also Read: NHL Power Rankings: All 32 NHL Teams Ranked From Worst To First After Week 22
