Forward prospect played 4 games after making opening night roster, reached WHL playoffs with Saskatoon last season

TORONTO — Fraser Minten participated in his fourth development camp with the Toronto Maple Leafs last month. This time, the 20-year-old forward prospect came armed with four games of NHL experience.

Minten, a second-round pick (No. 38) in the 2022 NHL Draft, said it has made a world of difference.

“You see on TV, how big and strong and fast and consistent everybody is, and you really feel it when you are out there,” he said. “Just how dialed you have to be every day and how consistent you have to be as a player. Any sort of mess up could be a reason for you to be out of a job at that level, so just the consistency at which guys are able to be fast, be strong and do all the right things is what stood out.”

Minten (6-foot-1, 185 pounds) impressed during training camp last season and unexpectedly made the opening night roster. He was the first teenage second-round pick to earn a spot out of training camp with the Maple Leafs since Matt Stajan, a forward chosen No. 57 in the 2002 NHL Draft.

“There was the Leafs ghost roster, the Marlies (American Hockey League) and other,” Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving said at the time. “He was in other.”

Minten played four NHL games, averaging 11:26 of ice time with no points, three shots and an even plus-minus rating before being returned to Saskatoon of the Western Hockey League, where he had 38 points (19 goals, 19 assists) in 36 games and 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 16 playoff games. Saskatoon reached the third round of the WHL playoffs and lost to eventual league champion Moose Jaw in seven games.

“I don’t know if there are any expectations,” Minten said. “I just will come in with the expectation not being on results for me, it’s just on how hard I am going to work and leave everything out there. These guys (management and players) have been at this level watching and playing for way longer than I have, so they’ll know if I’m ready or not.”

Minten was named captain for Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship and had three points (one goal, two assists) in five games. Despite his World Junior and NHL experience, he’s not satisfied with the level of his game.

“I want to improve everything,” he said. “Work on decision-making and speed, get faster, stronger and just work on continuing to do what I do and be confident with the puck, get better shooting, skating, stick-handling, everything.”

Though Minten is trying to avoid putting extra pressure on himself, Maple Leafs assistant general manager Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser feels he is not far off.

“He adapts really well,” Wickenheiser said. “He is great to work with from a development standpoint. He’s always curious on his own game. He studies the game of others and for him, it’s just about trying to assist him toward taking that next step to being an everyday NHL player. He’s very close.

“He’s just such a pro. He’s a very mature kid. He’s a leader everywhere he goes and he’s really like a sponge.”