Toronto Maple Leafs top draft pick Fraser Minten was forced to leave Sunday’s Prospect Showdown game in Montreal early after going down hard in the corner.
Minten, 20, was retrieving the puck in Montreal’s corner midway through the second period and curling up the wall when Canadiens defenceman David Reinbacher made contact with him across the back, sending him down hard.
The 38th-overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft was slow to get up, eventually making his way to the Leafs bench. He did not return before the period was over and it was eventually announced during the broadcast that he was being kept out for precautionary reasons.
The Maple Leafs prospects went on to defeat Montreal 5-4 on Sunday, with fellow top prospect Easton Cowan ripping the winner through the goalie on a power play late in the game.
Minten had a goal and an assist in Saturday’s 4-3 win over Montreal’s prospects, plus another in the shootout to seal the victory.