Bruins
“[He’s] tremendous younger, however you would not realize it in case you talked to him.”
It didn’t take very lengthy for Ryan Mougenel’s cellphone to mild up on the 2025 NHL commerce deadline.
The Windfall Bruins head coach was set to obtain some reinforcements for the stretch run, courtesy of Don Sweeney and Boston’s entrance workplace’s resolution to usher in a hearth sale on the NHL stage.
Dealing away lineup fixtures like Brad Marchand, Brandon Carlo, Charlie Coyle, Trent Frederic, and others represented a waving of the white flag throughout a season gone awry — in addition to a deal with the longer term and obligatory measures required to construct up a brand new contending core.
Boston restocked its draft cabinet by securing two first-round picks and a trove of future picks — complemented by the group’s personal first-round choice which became blue-chip pivot James Hagens.
However the Bruins additionally added just a few youthful gamers to their prospect pipeline because of their in depth sell-off — headlined by Toronto Maple Leafs product Fraser Minten.
As Mougenel took inventory on the inflow of expertise set to reach in Windfall, the bench boss obtained a glowing report from one hockey thoughts by way of textual content about Minten’s poise and coachability.
After which one other textual content arrived doling out related reward for the 21-year-old middle. And one other.
It didn’t take very lengthy for Mougnel to take inventory of the kind of participant set to enter Windfall’s dressing room.
“[He’s] tremendous younger, however you wouldn’t realize it in case you talked to him,” Mougenel stated Wednesday at Warrior Ice Enviornment. “His maturity as an individual reveals in his recreation as properly.
“It’s humorous, if you draft otherwise you signal gamers, individuals are at all times keen to provide enter …. and my cellphone completely blew up with simply form of random individuals who have been linked in hockey, not linked in hockey, who simply stated unbelievable issues about Fraser. And if you meet him, you possibly can see why.”
Minten — acquired together with a 2026 first-round choose and a 2025 fourth-pick choose from Toronto in alternate for Carlo — might not have the puck expertise of a Hagens, neither is he a participant whose recreation might be predicated on touchdown welts in opposition to the opposition.
Nevertheless it’s a testomony to the younger ahead’s refined recreation and versatile skillset that he’s already logged 25 NHL video games between Boston and Toronto at this stage of his younger profession. He’s hoping to extend these reps in 2025-26 by securing a beginning position with Boston out of coaching camp.
“That’s why I obtained as many video games as I did final yr in Toronto and within the NHL, was these particulars,” Minten stated Wednesday of his two-way strategy on the ice. “As a result of on the finish of the day within the NHL, it’s a enterprise.
“They’re getting paid to win. So if the coach can belief you to do what he needs, you’re going to get the possibility over any person who you already know possibly isn’t as dependable. So I feel there’s a giant emphasis on that.”
Minten will start that means of pushing for NHL minutes this weekend, as he’ll function one of many leaders of a Bruins contingent set to participate within the 2025 Prospects Problem in Buffalo.
Minten is among the elder statesmen on Boston’s Prospects Problem roster, however is embracing the chance to assist 2025 draft choices and different new additions to the pipeline discover their footing in the course of the two-game showcase.
“I feel that’s simply a part of who I’m,” Minten stated. “Attempt to paved the way somewhat bit. I keep in mind once I was first coming in … I used to be enjoying with [Toronto forward] Nick Robertson. You’re wanting as much as him as a result of he’s obtained some NHL video games. So hopefully I could be a good position mannequin for a number of the guys who’re simply coming in, the 18-,19-year previous children.”
These intangibles and well-rounded strategy as an all-situations pivot are a number of the explanation why the Bruins recognized him as a future constructing block throughout their ongoing roster reshuffle.
A 2022 second-round choose by Toronto, Minten boasts a excessive flooring within the NHL ranks as a jack-of-all trades centerman able to successful faceoffs, contributing on the penalty kill, chipping in with 5-on-5 scoring, snuffing out scoring possibilities within the D-zone, and nearly another job that will make him the Swiss Military Knife in Marco Sturm’s ahead corps in due time.
In some respects, he paints an analogous image as different Bruins third-line pivots through the years like Chris Kelly and Charlie Coyle — a duo who turned very important cogs on their respective lineups, even when their worth wasn’t at all times quantified by the stat sheet.
“We would like guys having futures within the NHL. We would like longevity of their recreation,” Mougenel stated of Minten, who scored seven factors in 11 video games with Windfall final yr. “And if you put money into your recreation, it seems to be like a man like Fraser. … He got here in and actually understood our system straight away, and the main points assist defend him.
“And when he went up, I assumed he did an actual good job of being, at instances, somewhat too secure. We’d like him to take somewhat bit extra of a polish to his recreation, and never essentially cheat for offense. However embrace these alternatives once they current themselves. That’s what’s going to endear him to the teaching workers, are these small particulars.”
The Vancouver native is conscious of his strengths (and limitations) that can decide simply how nice a task he seizes in Boston — each in 2025-26 and within the years forward.
Minten isn’t attempting to look too far forward at the place he’ll play this season, not when his fundamental focus is placing his finest foot ahead throughout camp.
“I feel for me, it’ll be about my course of and simply working laborious,” Minten stated of his strategy throughout coaching camp. “There’s lots of emphasis on making it — day one. Media places quite a bit on in case you make it or don’t make it.
“However as a younger man, I feel it’s necessary to simply have a superb course of. And ultimately your time will come in case you’re prepared. And if not, then you definately simply hold working, and also you’ve obtained a number of years and time forward.”
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