Minten has the inner track of the Bruins’ third-line central role – Hockey writer – The Brown Bears’ Prospects
For NHL general managers, a pillar deal on a roster like Brandon Carlo has never been an easy decision. However, sometimes, the need for changes becomes obvious. For Don Sweeney and the Boston Bruins, that moment was last season when the team barely stepped into the 2025 NHL trade deadline. As the team struggled all season, it was decided to plug the current core into the plug and move towards the future. While losing Carlo isn’t easy to swallow, especially when it’s a Toronto Maple Leaf Bruins rival, Fraser Minten’s return, 2026 first-round draft picks and 2025 fourth-round draft picks make it easier.
Carlo has been one of the most consistent players on the team for years, recording a lot of time in free throw kills and becoming one of Boston’s most trusted shutdown defenders. Keeping on from him not only creates a huge hole in the back end, but also shows Sweeney willing to take risks, even if it means strengthening the competitors in exchange for long-term returns.
Brown Bear thinks Minten is worth the risk
The Maple Leafs’ second-round pick Minten, who won the 2022 NHL entry draft, is still only 20 years old at the time of trading. Nevertheless, Vancouver British Columbia natives showed up early and made their debut with the Maple Leafs in the 2023-24 season and played four games at the end of the season. Then, next season, he allocated time between Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Marys, and was eventually traded to Boston.
Minten immediately made an impact in the AHL with Providence Bruiss, scoring three goals and seven points in 11 games, while adding another NHL goal in six games against Big Club. While offensive output doesn’t necessarily translate into Minten’s professional level success, there is no denying that the 6-foot-2-foot, 195-pound center owned. In Boston, Mington is seeing a growing role in his Maple Leaf organization, and he will undoubtedly try to make the best use of this role.
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Based on training camp and preseason developments, it is no surprise to see Minten start as Bruis’ third-line center on opening night. If the team decides to move Pavel Zacha back to the center, he will have some competition, namely Matt Poitras, or even Casey Mittelstadt, but for now, Minten seems to have an internal track at work. The development of Poitras is an interesting development for Brown Bear, but the injury casts his usability and can grab the door for Minten instantly for a few minutes.
He contributes in all three areas, affecting the transition game and adding some offense to the Brown Bears should be fun. If he wants to stick to the tan center, especially in the outstanding top nine characters, he will need to do a good job at the standoff point consistently. Traditionally, brown bears are the strongest in the middle and on the blue line. Minten will have a chance to be part of the Boston solution and considering that he already looks like him at such a young age, his leap this season is not possible.
