Joseph Woll will finally make his season debut when the Toronto Maple Leafs host the St. Louis Blues, Fraser Minten takes the morning skate and Max Pacioretty remains out with a lower-body injury. Fraser Minten is nearing a return to game action in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization. The Maple Leafs announced on Tuesday afternoon that the forward was activated from the team's non-roster designation and has been assigned to the Toronto Marlies. Minten has missed all of training camp and the start of the regular season after suffering a high-ankle sprain in the second game of the Prospect Showdown against the Montreal Canadiens in early September. The 20-year-old was expected to challenge for an NHL roster spot before going down with the injury just a few days before training camp opened. Minten made the Maple Leafs out of training camp last season but was sent back to junior after four games. He began the 2023-24 season as the captain of the Kamloops Blazers, scoring 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in seven games before being traded to the Saskatoon Blades. The center had 19 goals and 19 assists for 38 points in 36 games with Saskatoon last season. In the postseason with the Blades, Minten had 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 16 games. The CHL and NHL agreement states that a prospect aged 18 or 19 must return to their CHL club if they aren't staying with their NHL team once the regular season begins. However, when the player turns 20, like Minten, the NHL club can loan that player to their AHL affiliate. The forward was also the captain of Team Canada at the 2024 World Juniors, scoring one goal and two assists in five games. Canada fell to Czechia in the quarterfinals of the tournament. Toronto selected Minten in the second round (38th overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft. He signed his three-year entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs on Oct. 13, 2022. WHEN TO EXPECT HIM IN GAME ACTION The Marlies have one game this weekend against the Cleveland Monsters. Minten is being activated and loaned to the AHL squad, meaning he's ready to play. I expect him to be in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Monsters. Toronto doesn't play after their game this weekend until Nov. 9, against the Charlotte Checkers. Minten will likely get a practice or two in with the team this week in Toronto before they head to Cleveland ahead of Saturday's game.
