Trent Miner
2018-19 Team: Vancouver Giants
Date of Birth: February 5, 2001
Place of Birth: Souris, Manitoba
Ht: 6-foot-1 Wt: 181 pounds
Catches: L
Position: G
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2019 first-year eligible
Rankings
- NHL Central Scouting: 6th (Among NA goaltenders)
- Future Considerations: 65th
- The Hockey Writers: 100th
- TSN’s Craig’s List: 80th
Trent Miner was playing AAA hockey in the 2017-18 season with the Brandon Wheat Kings in the Manitoba AAA Midget Hockey League. He put up impressive numbers in his 20 games with a 1.64 goals-against average (GAA) and a .941 save percentage (SV%).
Related: NHL Draft Guide | 2019 Edition
Near the end of the season, he made the jump to the Vancouver Giants. He played nine games for the Giants but didn’t adjust to the new league right away with a 4.20 GAA and .885 SV%. The Giants put him in for three playoff games where his numbers started to improve (3.41 GAA and a .901 SV%).
Fast forward to the 2018-19 season, Miner became a large part of the Giants’ season and playoff run. He started as the backup, but then split games with Arizona Coyotes prospect David Tendeck, playing 32. His numbers drastically improved, putting up a 1.98 GAA and .924 SV%. His GAA and SV% were the third-best in the league (minimum 15 games played). He had an impressive 26-5-1 record and added three shutouts. He has a great chance to take the reigns of the starting position next season.
Miner’s biggest attribute seems to be his hockey sense. He anticipates passes, which allows him to always seem to be in position. He always knows what’s going on in his end, which is a big attribute to have. His puck handling is among the best of his draft class and he plays a very technically-sound game.
Miner does have a couple of knocks against him though, which will see him drop a couple of slots in the goaltenders drafted. The first is his size. At 6-foot-1, he’s smaller than most goalies in the NHL and in the draft. Most NHL leans toward bigger goaltenders, but his skill is definitely there, so he shouldn’t get completely passed over. However, he’s also not the fastest goalie in the draft. Combined with his size, this might be a red flag for some teams.
His mobility and quickness will continue to improve, though, and there’s enough skill in Miner’s game that any NHL team will be lucky to have him.
Other THW Draft Profiles:
Trent Miner – NHL Draft Projection
Miner will be an interesting selection, probably near the middle of the pack as far as goaltenders are concerned. I’d expect him to fall between the fifth and seventh goalies taken, likely around the fourth round of the draft.
Quotables
“He’s not the biggest goalie, but I like everything else about his game. His hockey sense is outstanding. He reads the play so well with a great awareness of what’s going on around him. Miner never seems out of position. He challenges at the right time and moves with the puck with near perfect timing without much extra movement. He’s not the quickest goalie, which you’d like to see at his size, but he moves around the crease more than fine and can make the tough saves. Miner also plays the puck effectively and at times I saw him make some really tough plays with the puck.” – Corey Pronman, The Athletic (From: “Pronman’s 2019 NHL Draft Board: Top goalie prospects” – The Athletic – May 23, 2019).
“We knew he was a very good, young goaltender … he’s a quality kid, good student, works extremely hard and he’s poised. His work ethic is very good, his attention to detail and habits are very good and that’s what makes him a very good goaltender.” – Michael Dyck, Vancouver Giants head coach
Strengths
- Hockey Sense
- Positioning
- Puck Control
Under Construction (Improvements to Make)
- Mobility
- Size
NHL Potential
If Miner keeps progressing as he has been, it seems very likely that he’ll get a real shot in the NHL. He’s just a rookie in the WHL, and another season will be very telling as to just how good he is. It will be a few years at least before he breaks into the league, but there’s definitely potential here.
Risk-Reward Analysis
Risk – 3.5/5, Reward – 3.5/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Goaltending – 6.5/10
Awards/Achievements
Playing in the Manitoba AAA Midget Hockey League just last season, Miner had the best GAA (1.64) and SV% (.941) in the league. He was also named a First-Team All-Star for his efforts.