Hockey Canada announced their invitees to the summer World Junior meetings for the 2024 team and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Fraser Minten was among the names.
Minten was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs with the 38th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.
The draft pick used to select Minten was part of the trade where the Maple Leafs moved down from pick 25 to unload Petr Mrazek on the Chicago Blackhawks.
Hockey Canada invited 28 different forwards to the meetings, however, recent draftee Adam Fantilli is unable to attend the camp.
Minten earned the invite after a strong post draft season that saw him score 31-goals and finishing with a total of 67-points in 57 games. While his offensive numbers don’t blow anyone away, the Vancouver native is known more of a complete player.
The Kamloops Blazers forward has yet to represent Hockey Canada at any tournaments thus far throughout his early playing career, but did make an appearance in the Memorial Cup this past season as he played for the host city.
Toronto Maple Leafs Prospect Invited to World Junior Meetings
Minten recently participated in the Maple Leafs prospect camp that took place three weeks ago. Pension Plan Puppets reported that Minten had just got back from a European backpacking trip and may have pled a role in him not dominating as much as expected, however was still the best player on his team.
Fraser Minten’s hard work finally pays off on this individual effort to sneak it five-hole on Elliot. Team Blue on the board finally. 💙 pic.twitter.com/KOchNFwGig
— katie (@itsmitchmarney) July 8, 2023
This year the World Juniors Tournament will take place in Sweden where Canada will look to defend their gold medal. Canada has won each of the last two championships, as well as three of the last four. If Canada can win take home the title yet again, they would become the first country to win three consecutive championships since they so themselves in five consecutive years from 2005-2009.
Other top prospects that were invited to camp were top prospects such as 2022 seventh overall pick Kevin Korchinski and 2022 ninth overall pick Matthew Savoie, as well as top goalie prospect Scott Ratzlaff.
The roster won’t be announced until early December, so a strong start to the upcoming junior season will help Minten.
As for Minten and his future with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he’ll likely not have much of a shot at making the NHL this season, though stranger things have happened. Minten has completed three years of junior hockey and will most likely play this season with the Toronto Marlies.