{"id":687231,"date":"2026-10-15T06:21:16","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T06:21:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/687231\/"},"modified":"2026-10-15T06:21:16","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T06:21:16","slug":"bruins-see-night-and-day-difference-in-fraser-minten","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/687231\/","title":{"rendered":"Bruins See \u2018Night and Day\u2019 Difference in Fraser Minten"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shortly after Fraser Minten<\/a> signed a seven-year, $50.4 million extension with the Boston Bruins<\/a> in September, the 22-year-old talked about earning a role through his actions, not his new deal.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you got to earn that through time and you know, you get respect through your actions, not through your contract,\u201d Minten said. \u201cSo continue to work hard and be a good teammate and gain the respect of everyone and become a leader that way.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Minten\u2019s new $7.2M AAV deal does not kick in until the start of the 2027-28 season, but he is already giving the Bruins reasons to be optimistic about their long-term commitment.<\/p>\n

Through seven games this season, Minten is a point-per-game player. He ranks second on the team with seven points (4-3\u20137), only behind David Pastrnak<\/a> with eight (2-6\u20138). He has combined for three multi-point nights, including a two-goal showing in San Jose on Tuesday night.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s difficult,\u201d Minten said after Tuesday\u2019s game when asked about finding consistency in his game. \u201cWork in progress.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just happening right now,\u201d Sturm said of Minten on Tuesday. \u201cBut again, it always goes back to being at the right spot at the right time. I think that is it. And again, playing so smart. I think he\u2019s going to get the opportunities, and right now, they go in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Minten started the season on the Bruins\u2019 kid line, skating in the middle of Marat Khusnutdinov<\/a> and James Hagens<\/a>. After dropping two straight games, Marco Sturm<\/a> put the lines into a blender and moved Minten and Khusnutdinov to the second line with JJ Peterka<\/a>. Together, they own a 52.63% share of shots, and they have outscored opponents 5-1 in 28:30 together at 5-on-5.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, it\u2019s good,\u201d Minten said about playing with his linemates. \u201c[It\u2019s] only been a few games, but those guys are so fast and smart, so yeah, it\u2019s fun.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Minten\u2019s early-season production has been impressive, but the improvements in his game go well beyond the scoresheet. After playing all 82 games with Boston last season (17-18\u201335), Minten has taken another step in his development, and Sturm has noticed the difference in his skating and strength.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know where to start,\u201d Marco Sturm said after the game on Saturday. \u201cI feel like he has more power in his legs. He skates better. And yeah, there\u2019s just a combination, I would say, of everything. I can\u2019t really pick one thing. It\u2019s just overall, he was almost like a baby last year. Now he\u2019s growing into a grown man. I think that\u2019s just part of it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fraser Minten on how his game has changed from last season:\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, probably. It would be hard to say exactly how, but feel good out there. Feel fast, feel like I can make plays and contribute while still being good and responsible defensively. So I feel like the game\u2019s growing\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/Mfz7rmj9bl<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jack Studley (@jackstudley13) October 10, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The Bruins are high on Minten. The contract proves that. At the end-of-season press conference in May, Bruins president Cam Neely<\/a> acknowledged the Bruins\u2019 need for a true No. 1 center, but also spoke highly of the team\u2019s two in-house candidates, including Minten<\/a>. Neely even described Minten as \u201cmore like Bergy\u201d with his 200-foot game.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Minten has been given a bigger role this season, and part of that is due to the lack of a true No. 1 guy blocking a spot in front of him. Sturm sees that potential in Minten, but he is not putting that pressure on him just yet.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, he\u2019s definitely on his way,\u201d Sturm said after the game on Tuesday. \u201cThe way he plays and thinks the game is very impressive at his age, and yeah, we try to push him every day. Not [to be] a number one [center]. No. Just try to be the best he can, and right now, it\u2019s been pretty fun to watch.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the season-opening press conference, Cam Neely rattled off six players who would join the newly named captain as part of the leadership group. Minten, who was 20 days removed from signing his new deal, was the fifth name listed, joining the likes of Nikita Zadorov<\/a>, Tanner Jeannot<\/a>, Hampus Lindholm<\/a>, Morgan Geekie<\/a>, and Charlie McAvoy<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Minten is the youngest player in that group by six years, but the Bruins already see him as an important part of the team\u2019s leadership. McAvoy, who missed the first six games due to a suspension, noted Minten\u2019s improvement both on and off the ice after his first game back.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, night and day,\u201d McAvoy said of Minten. \u201cI mean, honestly, yeah, he was already amazing last year, and we saw glimpses of what he could be in the future. But I think the biggest thing is him finding his voice, which is amazing. We wanted to bring him into the leadership group and, you know, see him flourish because he has that personality.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to lean on him a lot. He\u2019s a great two-way player, and he\u2019s a big part of what we\u2019re trying to build here.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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