19-year-old Minten earns spot on Maple Leafs’ opening night roster
Posted October 9, 2023 3:47 pm.
Last Updated October 9, 2023 3:48 pm.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are giving Fraser Minten a chance to show what he can do as the rookie forward will start the season in the NHL.
Minten broke the news himself while speaking to reporters on Monday. The 19-year-old said general manager Brad Treliving called him on Sunday to say that he would be starting the season in the NHL after an impressive showing during training camp.
“It means everything,” the 19-year-old said. “It’s been a dream of mine for as long as I’ve been alive and playing hockey to be in a position like this.”
"It means everything, it's been a dream of mine." ????
Toronto Maple Leafs 2022 second-round pick Fraser Minten talks about what it means to make the Maple Leafs roster ahead of their season opener against the Montreal Canadiens. pic.twitter.com/AYQz3FFVSl
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 9, 2023
Minten was skating on a line with Matthew Knies and Calle Jarnkrok at practice on Monday.
Toronto traded forward Sam Lafferty to the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday, opening up cap space and a spot on the roster for Minten and other standouts to make the team.
The Maple Leafs also announced that various players, including Pontus Holmberg and Nick Robertson, had been assigned to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.
The Leafs’ second-round pick from the 2022 NHL Draft could appear in as many as nine regular-season games without burning a year off his entry-level contract and still be returned to the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers.
Minten, from Vancouver, had 67 points in 57 games with the Blazers last season.
