Fraser Minten
Fraser Minten was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round of the 2022 NHL draft with the 38th overall pick.
He instantly became the Leafs sixth best prospect.
Minten actually had a strong training camp before being injured, and this injury seems to have led to him being left off the Team Canada roster for this year’s World Juniors, setting up a situation where the Leafs might not have any players in the tournament.
The 6’2, 192 Lbs center is 18 years old and playing in his third season with Kamloops in the WHL.
The Leafs drafted him after he registered 55 points in 67 games last season. He currently has 22 points in 16 games this season and is projected to finish with 84 points.
Fans will likely not see Minten playing for the Maple Leafs for a couple more seasons, but he is a bright spot in Toronto’s future, as he fits in with the team’s mandate to draft intelligent, coachable kids who brim with “hockey sense.”
This is paying off already, as you can see with how many members of the 2018 class are now getting a taste of the NHL.
Kyle Dubas and his team have only been at the helm long enough for their first draft to start to show signs of success. When you don’t have any top ten picks, you have to wait about five years before you really know what you have.
So far so good. This is just a taste of what the Leafs have to offer, but even in just the three players mentioned here, the future is obviously bright.