Minten lived with John Tavares this season when the prospect started this season with Toronto.

Fraser Minten was asked during the September Toronto Maple Leafs' training camp about his goals this season.

"I want to make the Canadian World Junior Team," he said.

He far surpassed those goals by surprising everyone when he made the Maple Leafs fresh out of camp. He played in four games before he was returned to the Western Hockey League.

Minten not only made the team and will represent Team Canada for the first time in his young hockey career, but he'll serve as their captain at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Gothenburg, Sweden.

"It means a lot, it's a very awesome Christmas present," he told TSN's Mark Masters on Sunday. 

Minten becomes the first Maple Leafs prospect to captain a World Juniors team since Dan Hodgson did it back in 1985.

"I feel like he's an extension of the message we want," Team Canada head coach Alan Letang said of naming Minten captain. "He does everything on the ice the right way."

During Minten's time with the Maple Leafs, he stayed in John Tavares' home. The captain extended an invite to Minten and fellow Leafs teammate Matthews Knies, who is still staying in the house his season.

Tavares, and his two sons Jace and Axton, FaceTimed Minten to deliver the news that he'd be the captain.

"They Facetimed the whole team," Minten explained to Masters. "It was pretty cool. I haven't seen him a bunch since I left his house there. But I was pretty close with him and his boys when I was there.

"He's a Canadian hero. Great leader and a great person as well and good friend. So that was pretty cool."

Minten returned to his Kamloops Blazers of the WHL following his brief Leafs stint where he was immediately named captain of the team. But after seven games he was traded to the Saskatoon Blades. He has five goals and 10 assists in 13 games in the WHL this season.

Team Canada opens their 2024 IIHF World Juniors tournament on Tuesday against Finland.

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