With David Kampf set to come off long-term injured reserve, Fraser Minten will return to the AHL after an impressive showing with the Leafs. When the Toronto Maple Leafs needed a forward from the Toronto Marlies due to injuries, Fraser Minten was one of the first names called upon. The 20-year-old forward prospect was called up to the Maple Leafs on Nov. 19 when the team placed David Kampf on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. After suffering an injury ahead of Toronto's training camp, returning to full health with the Marlies, and producing in the AHL, Minten was ready for the opportunity. He centered Toronto's third line against the Vegas Golden Knights on Nov. 20 and found the back of the net not even halfway through the first period. Minten had four points in his first five games with the Maple Leafs this season and even had head coach Craig Berube raving about his maturity at a young age. "Oh, he's excellent. He talks really like a vet on the bench. He's already got that mindset and mentality and knows the game extremely well," said Berube on Dec. 2. "He's not a guy you've got to really teach a whole lot to. I mean, it's just he needs reps. And because he understands the game, he understands his systems very well, and, he has a very good hockey IQ." Minten continued to play strong after his first five games, however, the offense subsided. The forward didn't register a point in the next six games before being a healthy scratch on Sunday against the Buffalo Sabres. With David Kampf's return to the lineup expected [https://x.com/dalter/status/1869052282551271603] on Wednesday against the Dallas Stars, the Maple Leafs decided to send Minten back to the Marlies, where he'll continue to develop. "I think he played tremendous for us. Craig and I talk all the time, so we like this player a lot. If you saw the last few games (he played in), he started to taper a little bit," said Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving on Tuesday. "And then last game, when he's not in the lineup, Craig controls the lineup card. We obviously talk about it, but, if you're not going to be in, and you're a young player, you gotta keep playing, right? We're not gonna sit him in the stands." Before joining the Maple Leafs, Minten had two goals and two assists for five games with the Marlies. Being in the AHL will allow the prospect to get more ice time, play key roles, and continue to produce offensively. It's critical for his development that if he's not getting ice time with the Maple Leafs, he's better off being with the Marlies. That will help Minten eventually become a full-time forward in the NHL. "To me, I always find with some younger players, he came in, and then you come off a little bit, right? You realize it's an everyday league," Treliving said. "So, nothing but good things about how Fraser has played. We saw his [hockey IQ], we saw all the things he could do. He'll be back."
