Maple Leafs prospect, who was anticipated to compete for a roster spot, will miss training camp due to a high ankle sprain sustained during a prospects game in Montreal over the weekend. General Manager Brad Treliving shared the news on Wednesday as players arrived for their physicals, noting that there is no specific timeline for Minten’s return.
“We’re probably talking weeks,” Treliving said. Minten suffered the injury after a hard fall into the boards during the second game of the series between Leafs and Canadiens prospects at the Bell Centre and was removed from the game as a precaution.
The 20-year-old center Fraser Minten made the team out of training camp last year, playing four games before returning to the WHL for another season of junior hockey. He served as captain of Canada’s world junior team and had an impressive playoff performance with the Saskatoon Blades.
Other players starting the season injured include:
– Center Connor Dewar, who is recovering from shoulder surgery.
– First-round pick Ben Danford, a defenseman, who suffered a concussion during rookie camp.
– Marlies winger Ryan Tverberg, also recovering from shoulder surgery.
– Free agent signing Jani Hakanpaa, a defenseman, who will participate in workouts with prospects while recovering from knee surgery.
**Nylander at Center**
New coach Craig Berube indicated that William Nylander will be given a significant opportunity at center, likely with Max Domi as one of his wingers. Berube praised Nylander’s skill set, saying, “He could be a great transporter of the puck from our zone to the offensive zone. He’s strong, big, and skilled. Having someone like that in the middle of the ice is really important.”
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