Daemon Hunt Bio
Daemon Hunt is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born on May 15, 2002, in Moosomin, Saskatchewan, Hunt has developed into a steady, leadership-oriented blueliner after years of progression through the Western Hockey League (WHL) and the American Hockey League (AHL). Selected 65th overall by the Minnesota Wild in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, he signed his entry-level contract in 2021 and made his NHL debut in October 2023. Standing 185 centimetres tall and weighing 88 kilograms, Hunt combines size with mobility, the kind of profile teams covet in modern two-way defencemen.
Early Life and Background
Daemon Hunt was born on May 15, 2002, in Moosomin, Saskatchewan, and grew up in that small prairie community before his family eventually settled back in Brandon, Manitoba, where he pursued his hockey development. He is a cousin of former NHL player Matt Calvert, giving Hunt an early connection to the professional game through family. His early years were shaped by the typical routine of a Canadian minor hockey player, balancing school with long practices and travel across western Canada.
As a youth, Hunt featured in the 2011–12 Brick Invitational tournament, playing six games and scoring two points for the Saskatchewan Junior Pats. He later joined the Brandon Wheat Kings system, skating with the under-15 team in 2015–16 and 2016–17 before graduating to their under-18 squad for 2017–18. In his final Bantam season with the Wheat Kings, he posted 60 points, a total that caught the attention of WHL scouts and set the stage for his major-junior career.
Path to Professional Hockey
Hunt’s first major step toward the professional ranks came in the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft, when the Moose Jaw Warriors selected him in the first round, 15th overall. He split his draft year between the Brandon Wheat Kings under-18 squad and Moose Jaw, where he appeared in nine games and recorded a goal and an assist. By 2018–19, he was a full-time Warrior, skating in 57 games and producing 20 points while refining his defensive game against older competition.
The 2019–20 season brought additional responsibility, as Moose Jaw named Hunt an alternate captain, a sign of the leadership qualities that would later define his junior career. That same year, the Minnesota Wild selected him 65th overall in the third round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. Following the draft, Hunt split time between a brief loan with the Virden Oil Capitals of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL), a short stint with the AHL’s Iowa Wild, and a return to Moose Jaw, where he was named team captain and posted 18 points in 23 games.
Daemon Hunt Career
Early Career (2017–2021)
Hunt began his WHL career with the Moose Jaw Warriors in 2017 and quickly became a fixture on their back end. Across his first three full junior seasons, he appeared in more than 130 games for the Warriors, steadily increasing his offensive output while embracing larger leadership roles. By 2020–21, he was wearing the C for Moose Jaw, leading a young defensive group with a steady, composed presence.
On May 6, 2021, Hunt signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Minnesota Wild, formalizing his path to the professional ranks. He remained with Moose Jaw as captain for the 2021–22 WHL season, recording 39 points in 46 games and finishing his major-junior career with 163 games played and 94 points, totals of 33 goals and 61 assists that underscored his two-way reliability.
AHL Development (2021–2023)
After signing with Minnesota, Hunt transitioned to the professional game with the AHL’s Iowa Wild. In 2022–23, his first full pro season, he appeared in 59 games and totaled 11 points on two goals and nine assists. Among rookie defencemen in the AHL that season, he ranked first with two game-winning goals, evidence of his knack for stepping up in key moments.
Hunt’s time in Iowa also included a brief AHL stint in 2020–21, giving him a small sample of pro hockey before returning to junior. By the end of 2022–23, he had logged enough professional experience to position himself for an NHL opportunity, combining physical play with improving puck-moving skills.
NHL Debut and Minnesota Wild Era (2023–2024)
Hunt was injured during a Minnesota Wild preseason game in 2023–24 and was sent back to Iowa to begin the regular season. After four games with the AHL affiliate, he was called up to Minnesota on October 23, 2023, and made his NHL debut the same day in a 3–2 loss to the Washington Capitals. He went on to play two games for the Wild, registering one shot on goal, before being reassigned to Iowa on October 30.
Columbus Blue Jackets Era (2024–2025)
On November 30, 2024, the Minnesota Wild traded Hunt, along with four draft picks, to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for defenceman David Jiříček. Hunt spent the remainder of the 2024–25 season with the Blue Jackets’ AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, where he posted two goals and 12 assists for 14 points in 48 games, continuing to develop his all-around game at the pro level.
Return to Minnesota (2025–Present)
On October 2, 2025, the Columbus Blue Jackets placed Hunt on waivers, and the Minnesota Wild claimed him the following day, bringing the homegrown defenceman back into the organization that originally drafted him. His return to Minnesota marked a full-circle moment, as he rejoined the club where he had taken his first NHL steps just two seasons earlier.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of Hunt’s young career are his selection as Moose Jaw Warriors captain, his 2020 NHL Draft selection by Minnesota, and his October 2023 NHL debut against the Washington Capitals. Internationally, he represented Canada at the 2018 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, the 2019 IIHF World U18 Championships, and the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he helped Canada capture a silver medal. He also skated for Canada at the 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, contributing to a gold medal, while a 2020 World Junior camp invite ended after he contracted COVID-19.
Daemon Hunt Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Hunt comes from a hockey-aware family, with his cousin, Matt Calvert, having played in the NHL. That connection gave him an early understanding of the demands and lifestyle of professional hockey, helping frame his own development path.
Personal Life
Hunt resides in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada. He is not married, and details about his personal relationships have not been publicly disclosed.
2025 Season Performance
Hunt’s 2025 storyline began in Cleveland, where he continued to produce offence from the back end with 14 points in 48 AHL games. His two goals and 12 assists reflected a player whose offensive instincts were sharpening in a depth role, even as he waited for another NHL opportunity.
That opportunity arrived in October 2025, when the Minnesota Wild claimed him off waivers from Columbus, returning him to the organization that drafted him in 2020. The transaction gave Hunt a fresh chance to establish himself at the NHL level with a familiar franchise.
Heading into the rest of 2025, Hunt is expected to split time between the Minnesota Wild and the Iowa Wild, with the Wild’s defensive depth chart offering him a realistic path to consistent NHL minutes. His mix of size, leadership experience from his WHL captaincy, and growing professional track record position him as a candidate to compete for a steady role on Minnesota’s back end.