The 2025-26 season will mark Rod Braceful's third as director of player personnel for USA Hockey's National Team Development Program.

Braceful returned to USA Hockey after serving as a scout for the Chicago Blackhawks for two seasons (2021-23), where his duties ranged from amateur scouting across the United States for upcoming NHL Drafts to pro scouting, including evaluating players who may be involved in future trades or free agent signings for Chicago.

Prior to his time in Chicago, the Detroit native served as assistant director of player personnel for three seasons at the NTDP (2018-21), where his focus was on recruiting and evaluating prospective players for the NTDP.

Braceful also served as the director of scouting for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL for one year (2017-18), a scout for the USHL's Sioux Falls Stampede for two (2015-2017) and worked for Legacy Global Sports as the midwest hockey director, where he organized and led camps for Selects Hockey.