Fraser Minten

March 2024 – Minten became a force for the Saskatoon Blades, scoring 19 goals and 38 points in 36 games after being acquired. The Blades finished the WHL season as the top-team in the entire league and will look to make it to this year’s Memorial Cup. If they want to get there though, Minten will have to take it to an even further level in the playoffs. Curtis Rines

January 2024 – Unfortunately, the World Juniors did not go as hoped for Minten. Team Canada was defeated in the quarter-finals in the dying seconds against the Czechs. Minten, serving as team captain, had a quiet tournament with just one goal and three points in five games. To give him credit, he was used on the wing and not his natural position down the middle, which caused some discomfort in his play. Minten will now return to Saskatoon, where he will gear up for what should be a deep playoff run. Curtis Rines

December 2023 – It has been a busy last month for Minten. After returning to Kamloops and being named captain, he played seven games with the Blazers, scoring 10 points, before being dealt to the Saskatoon Blades. The Blades currently lead the Eastern Conference and are tied for top of the entire WHL so Minten has a chance to go on a deep playoff run with his new team. In addition to his move in the WHL, Minten has also officially made Team Canada for the 2024 World Juniors. Seen as a strong contender for the team after his NHL stint to start the season, Minten is now set to be one of Canada’s key players heading into the tournament. Expect him to play in the top-six as well as see time on both special teams throughout the duration of the tournament. Curtis Rines

November 2023 – After a four-game cameo in the NHL to start the season, the Maple Leafs reassigned Minten to Kamloops for the remainder of the year. Upon his arrival back in Kamloops, the team named Minten their newest captain. With a strong training camp, and his first taste of NHL action, Minten should be expected to have a huge year ahead of him. Keep an eye on him to even potentially earn a spot on Canada’s roster for the upcoming World Juniors. Curtis Rines

October 2023 – In a surprising but welcome development, Minten has made the Maple Leafs out of training camp. During pre-season, Minten impressed Sheldon Keefe and the rest of his coaching staff enough to start the year at the third-line centre spot with Matthew Knies and Calle Jarnkrok on his flanks. It remains to be seen if this will simply be a 9-game trial before being sent back to the Kamloops Blazers, but with how strong he has played already, it seems that the Maple Leafs are more than willing to let him play out the entire season in the NHL if he earns it. Curtis Rines

September 2023 – Minten built on a strong draft year with 67 points in 57 games for the Kamloops Blazers. On a loaded Blazers team including the likes of Logan Stankoven, Caeden Bankier, and Matthew Seminoff, he did not always get the chance to play at the top of the lineup but with a lot of players moving on to the next stage of their career, Minten should be a focal point in the forward group this season. The Maple Leafs do not have a ton of depth down the middle in the system but Minten is definitely a standout and seems likely to become a factor in Toronto’s middle-six in the future. Curtis Rines

October 2022 – The Maple Leafs have signed Minten to a three-year entry level contract. Fresh off his first NHL training camp that was unfortunately cut short due to a wrist injury, the Leafs’ 2022 second-round pick will head back to Kamloops of the WHL with an NHL contract in his back pocket. He was also named an alternate captain for the Blazers and should be a prominent figure in their lineup when he returns to action. Nick Richard

July 2022 – The Toronto Maple Leafs have selected Minten in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft, 38th overall. Nick Richard

June 2022 – Fraser Minten has one of the higher IQs, both offensively and defensively among forwards in the draft. During the regular season and postseason, Fraser was just 17 years old, as he is on the younger side of prospects in this class. He shows off his strongest asset in all parts of the game, where he helps his team win puck battles and escape on breakouts, but also reads plays and anticipates well. While Minten may not excite you with his play every night, he is a player that a coach can trust on both sides of the puck. As the season progressed, Minten began to take more shots on goal and his offensive involvement and assertiveness seemed to improve as well. Not only did Fraser shoot more, but he also seemed to be more active in trying to create offense, doing so with more high-danger scoring opportunities as a result of his passing or filling lanes. Even though Minten’s faceoff percentage was well below average, he plays the game well for a centerman. He remains in the middle of the ice, head-up and active stick when defending, and is offensively gifted enough to produce at this level. With this only being a glimpse into his future game, scouts must hope that these translatable traits can help Fraser build upon his already solid foundation. Evan Pace

May 2022 – Minten had a solid season on both sides of the ice, collecting 20 goals and 35 assists for 55 points in 67 games while well-surrounded with the Kamloops Blazers, and added 16 points in 17 postseason matches for the WHL club. He was relied upon in the defensive zone and on the penalty kill throughout the year, and did a great job of suppressing opposing chances.

The 6-foot-1 center is one of the most polished defensive players in his league. He regularly displays high-end anticipation and stick positioning to disrupt plays all over the ice, while maintaining an intense and tenacious style on a nightly basis. He forechecks well, using his body and his edgework to pin opponents in unfavorable situations, and has outstanding off-puck positioning both offensively and defensively to exploit turnovers. This is something that’ll translate well to the NHL, as Minten doesn’t over-commit or under-commit. He knows when to slow down, and when to hit a second gear to go on the chase. The main issue with Minten is his lack of offensive upside — his puck skills aren’t too refined, and he doesn’t show much creativity on the puck, preferring the simple and efficient plays to ones that get you out of your seat. The only real translatable tool he has offensively is his work around the net, which earned him a fair share of his goals. He has a safe floor as a fourth-line NHL forward, but could work on his on-puck game and become a reliable, versatile middle-six two-way center with enough time and development. Hadi Kalakeche