Looking back (2024-2025)

Split between Boston and Toronto: 21GP, 3G-2A-5PTS

While the Bruins did plenty of wheeling and dealing at the 2025 trade deadline, the acquisition of Fraser Minten stood out as one of the most exciting moves.

Minten came to the Bruins as part of the trade that sent Brandon Carlo to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

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Reports, both at the deadline and in the months since, indicated that Minten was high on the Bruins’ list if they were going to make any deals with Toronto, and there were plenty in the Leafs fanbase who weren’t happy to see Minten go.

The kid (he just turned 21 in July) had a pretty wild 2024-2025 across the board: he played for two teams at the NHL level and two at the AHL level, so it’s fair to say he didn’t have much of a chance to put down roots.

He spent most of his Bruins tenure with Providence, putting up 3G-6A-9PTS totals across 19 games (regular season and playoffs).

He played six games with the B’s at the NHL level, recording one goal.

What’s ahead in 2025-2026?

It might be a bit of a stretch to say that the Minten Hype Train is already gearing up to leave the station, but he’s one of the players fans seem most excited to see more of in 2025-2026.

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His roster spot isn’t a given, with a glut of players in the mix to break camp with the Bruins.

However, as a center, he fits a need for the Bruins.

With Elias Lindholm penciled in at 1C and Casey Mittelstadt (or Pavel Zacha, depending on what Marco Sturm wants to do) slated to occupy the 2C spot, there’s a place for Minten on a third line that, until recently, had been steadily occupied by Charlie Coyle.

Assuming a 21-year-old kid with 21 NHL games to his name is ready to hold down 3C for a full season is probably a tall order, but Minten appears ready to take on the task.

From Fluto Shinzawa in The Athletic:

Minten fits the profile. He gained 10 pounds this offseason to be strong on his stick, bump opponents off pucks and occupy D-zone real estate, not necessarily to drive the offense.

“I’m probably not scoring 30 goals and 30 assists my rookie year in the NHL,” Minten said. “Being a guy who’s hard back, you’re first back on the back check, you’re stopping, you’re getting inside. The details, all those things that go into it. Faceoffs, penalty kill. That’s always been something I’m good at and taken pride in. I’ll continue to put emphasis on that.”

Minten has had a good start to September by impressing in the Prospects Challenge, where the consensus was that he was probably a cut above playing at that level.

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Like any young player, he’ll need to earn his spot through solid performances in training camp and during preseason games.

But if nothing else, the Bruins appear to have a good one on their hands — and a player who fills a roster need as well.

Hey, it worked out pretty well last time the Bruins acquired a prospect from the Maple Leafs.