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.
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 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.