‘He knows nothing is given’: Meet Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Fraser Minten

KAMLOOPS – Have you ever met a teenager that doesn’t use a cell phone? How about an athlete obsessed with perfecting their craft to the point that their entire world revolves around it?

Meet Kamloops Blazers forward and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Fraser Minten. Earlier this year, he made headlines after the Toronto Maple Leafs selected him 38th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft. He wasn’t a big-name prospect, but one fans began to keep a close eye on.

As a talented pianist, he has played the piano since childhood. He also loves to read. In a draft interview with the Pittsburgh Penguins, he told president Brian Burke he read his book, “Burke’s Law”. That’s the type of person he is.

“(He is an) outlier for sure in today’s day and age, but something I give him a lot of credit for,” said West Van Academy president Nathan Fischer, who worked with Minten and his family for three seasons. “I don’t think he used a cell phone in his first couple of years with us. He kept his focus on what he wanted to accomplish and not be distracted by meaningless activities.”

As a testament to his desire to perfect his craft, Minten realizes that nothing in life is free, Fischer says.

“His humility, work ethic, and attention to detail are second to none. He knows nothing is given and yearns to earn it.”

And throughout the process, he has done precisely that.

Minten plays on a Blazers roster with some notable NHL prospects. Logan Stankoven (Dallas) and Caedan Bankier (Minnesota) are set to embark on a gold medal run with Canada’s world junior team. There’s also Minnesota Wild prospect Kyle Masters, Vegas Golden Knights draft pick Jakub Demek, and Matthew Seminoff, another Dallas prospect.

The Memorial Cup hosts are currently first in the B.C. Division and hold a record of 18-6-3-2 through 29 games. Minten has been steady this season with 28 points in 22 games. Blazers coach and GM Shaun Clouston describes Minten as “a new-age hockey player”. 

Minten missed seven games at the start of the WHL season due to a wrist injury he sustained while he was in Toronto participating in the Leafs’ training camp. Minten suited up for a pre-season game against the Ottawa Senators, lining up with Alex Steeves, and Wayne Simmonds. He finished the night with 13:36 ice time and two shots on net.

Minten received high praise from Leafs’ captain John Tavares who said “he (Minten) is a heady player, and a great kid.” It didn’t take long for the Leafs to sign him, inking the young forward to an entry-level deal just a few days after camp closed. 

“The thing that stands out to me is Minten’s overall strength,” said Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff’s prospect analyst. “He’s got a good shot that he puts some muscle behind and he plays a physical game. I think he is still a raw prospect and one I’m surprised the Leafs chose at 38th, but I think he has some potential to be a top-six forward. I would like to see him take his offensive game to another level, but I also think that’s what they’d want him to do if he cracks the NHL.”  

Minten will likely return to Kamloops again next season, where he’ll look to become a leader. Minten has shown that he can play physical and be an asset on the penalty kill. Next up, it’s all about refinement.

I caught up with Minten this week to discuss his game, training camp and more:

Colton Davies: Let’s go back a couple of months to September. You made your NHL pre-season debut against the Ottawa Senators in the Battle of Ontario. What was that experience like?

Fraser Minten: It was an amazing experience, getting to play in the Scotiabank arena in front of thousands of people was such a cool experience that I will always remember. A favourite moment for me would be getting put out at the end of the game when Ottawa had pulled the goalie, and we were defending a lead, was just really cool that Sheldon Keefe gave me the opportunity to play at the end of the game like that.

Colton Davies: You stuck around the Maple Leaf’s organization for a bit following an injury you sustained during pre-season. What was it like dealing with injury rehab? And were there any players you became close with while in Toronto?

Fraser Minten: Yeah, fortunately the injury was minor and the rehab wasn’t too hard to deal with. Also, I was incredibly lucky to have members of the Leafs’ on and off-ice development staff working with me every day in the gym and on the ice. I wasn’t with the team for the whole time I was there, I was sidelined relatively early into training camp after being hurt just one game in. So I wouldn’t say there were any players I got super close to, but all of the players were super welcoming and nice while I was around the team.

Colton Davies: Let’s talk about your play style. Is there anything Leafs wanted you to focus on this season while in the WHL?  

Fraser Minten: From the Leafs’ organization, the message I got was that they just want to let me go back to junior and play within the team’s structure and try to get a championship. Going out, and playing the game the right way consistently was the most important thing to them.

Colton Davies: How would you describe your defensive side of the game? it seems you’re a step ahead of everyone out there and are always in the right spot to shut down the opposition. Do you watch any game tape to prepare yourself? 

Fraser Minten: I think I anticipate plays well and am able to remain poised with the puck on my stick and this allows me to make favourable decisions with the puck which contributes to being strong defensively. I don’t watch tape on the opposition or anything like that, but I do like to watch a lot of NHL games at home.

Colton Davies:  Who would you say is the hardest player to play against in the WHL?  

Fraser Minten: I would imagine that the hardest player to play against in the WHL is on my team, Logan Stankoven. But if I had to pick an opponent, I would say, Connor Bedard. You can’t afford to give him any space or the puck is in your net, he just creates so much for his team.

Colton Davies: Let’s end on something fun here, if you could have a shootout song what would it be?

Fraser Minten: Plug Walk, by Rich The Kid (laughs)