When the Boston Bruins traded Brandon Carlo to the Toronto Maple Leafs at the deadline last March, everyone was interested in hearing what the return was. It was one that continues to get better and better with each passing week for the Black and Gold.
In return, Bruins GM Don Sweeney got Toronto's 2026 first-round pick, top 5 protected, and prospect Fraser Minten. After playing sparingly following the trade to close out the 2024-25 season, which saw Boston finish in last place in the Atlantic Division, expectations were high for Minten entering this season, and he has certainly surpassed those expectations, to say the least.
NHL writer's take on Fraser Minten will not sit well with Maple Leafs fans
Minten made Boston's roster out of training camp and has been a valuable piece of the lineup since the season began. He plays in all situations and solidified the third-line center spot. Steven Ellis of The Fourth Period reviewed how the prospects traded at the deadline last March are faring. Here is what he wrote about Minten,
"Minten’s name is becoming popular around here. He bounced around the NHL and AHL last year, but it always felt like he was the team’s most attractive trade asset. Most scouts agreed early on that Minten had a bright future as a bottom-six, two-way center, and he’s a solid penalty killer, as well. Minten was one of Toronto’s top prospects, so packaging him up to acquire immediate help always made sense. But, so far, the deal has seemingly worked out better for Boston, with Minten playing at a 40-point pace already in his first full NHL campaign. He has been a perfect fit on the third line and has skated in every Bruins game so far. There hasn’t been a better “prospect” on this list this season,'' Ellis wrote.
Minten has been a valuable piece of the Bruins' lineup in terms of production. He has 13 goals and 13 assists, which are numbers that not many people saw coming. He has quickly become the Black and Gold's top prospect. He has scored some timely goals and has become valued enough to get some high-leverage shifts from head coach Marco Sturm, and he even was moved up to the first line in Tuesday night's 3-2 overtime win over the Nashville Predators when Elias Lindholm left in the second period with an upper-body injury.
Toronto is struggling right now and is eight points behind the Bruins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. They just finished a five-game homestand at 0-4-1 and are quickly fading from the postseason picture. If their pick ends up outside the top 5, this is going to become a much better deal for Sweeney and the Bruins this summer.