The Toronto Maple Leafs are starting to reap the rewards from their top prospects within their system. Matthew Knies is showing that he’s once again ready for the NHL and Easton Cowan has been exciting to watch during the preseason. Now, we can add Fraser Minten to that list as he also elevated his play while getting more looks and opportunities as the preseason comes to a close.
Much like Knies and Cowan, Minten has shown why the Maple Leafs drafted him in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft. While it may have been a longshot for him to crack the roster, he would most likely be sent back to the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League. However, there’s now a growing possibility that Minten could still be with the Maple Leafs when the regular season starts.
While it would be better for Minten to develop another season in junior, he has shown that he can handle the pace and workload in the NHL. From his on-ice play, to comments from the team, he has earned every opportunity to be on the roster when the regular season starts.
Minten Earning High Praise
Minten missed the start of the WHL playoffs with an undisclosed injury and had a subpar Memorial Cup with the Blazers– the host of the event. He didn’t take a step back, but he wasn’t as noticeable as he was during the regular season, scoring 31 goals and finishing with 67 points. By the time the Maple Leafs had their development camp and even when the rookie tournament rolled around, he appeared to be on a different level.
Assistant general manager of player development Hayley Wickenheiser had nothing but great things to say about his strength, speed and growing tenacity. It was evident at every showcase event that Minten has played in, including the preseason. The hounding mentality has been consistent every time that he has been on the ice, where he has continued to surprise everyone with his play. Even head coach Sheldon Keefe was impressed and has rewarded him with more chances to play in critical games to make a statement.
“Some people internally were talking to me saying they thought Minten was really going to show well here and surprise us in some ways,” Keefe said according to The Hockey News’ David Alter. “He’s really done that in terms of the steps that he’s taken.”
That high praise continued after he once again stood out against the Detroit Red Wings.
While Minten was going to be kept a close eye on being a top prospect on the team, taking this big of a step and catching the coach and management’s attention in such a short time is very impressive. He is now making it difficult for the Maple Leafs to send him back to junior after he has continued to be consistent and earn the confidence from everyone along the way.
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If he does stay, he has a lot to show for and could provide a strong presence for the Maple Leafs.
Minten’s Play Speaking for Itself
The Maple Leafs have lacked players that can be smart, has great attention to detail and play with a high level of intensity. Minten does that on a consistent basis, especially when he played in the back-to-back games against the Montreal Canadiens where he had three points– four overall in five preseason games. That was when he started to pick things up and continue to generate momentum in his game.
Last season, Minten was a consistent producer offensively, having 50 of his 67 points be primary points. Now, he continues to be an impact player when playing against tougher competition. He has developed some nice chemistry with Knies as both players play a similar style, being strong on the forecheck, create turnovers and turn them into chances. As this assist against the Canadiens shows.
Minten possesses strong IQ, which is why the Maple Leafs valued and selected him at the draft. He’s always in position to break up plays in all three zones, has the awareness to know when to attack and when to help on the backcheck and close the gap on puck carriers. He doesn’t cheat on plays and is always making the smart read with or without the puck.
While his smarts continue to be the foundation of his game, the willingness to constantly be involved physically is also noticeable as he displays a strong work ethic. He utilizes his size and strength to his advantage with his positioning and skill in the corners and has the speed to track down loose pucks. He’s strong, aggressive and quick to establish an attack and was disrupting plays constantly along the boards. No matter what he does, he excels and has delivered.
When he was on a line with Knies and Calle Jarnkrok against the Red Wings, they were dominant every time they were in the offensive zone. When on the attack, they were noticeable with their cycle game and ability to force the opponents to make a mistake and capitalize on it. They controlled the play at five-on-five with a 68.75 Corsi for percentage and a scoring chances for percentage of 62.50.
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That alone is what the Maple Leafs need more of, as Minten has that same mindset that Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi play with.
Minten Has Earned Chance Beyond Preseason
No matter how you look at it, Minten’s play has been notable. He has done everything to at least earn a chance to play more games and even extend that beyond the conclusion of the preseason as a result of his hard work and consistency. After all, he’s still young and another season in junior would be best for him with a chance to play at the World Junior Championship. Regardless of where he plays, he has to feel confident about himself, now battling for a spot when the odds were low at the start.
If he’s able to stick with the team and get to that nine-game tryout window, it could make things even more difficult with what the Maple Leafs should do with him. Whether Minten makes it beyond that remains to be seen, but he has definitely shown that he’s ready for this level sooner rather than later.
Statistics from Natural Stat Trick and Pick 224.