Minten preparing for future leading role with Maple Leafs

TORONTO -- Fraser Minten was left with memories that will last a lifetime playing in the 2023 Memorial Cup, but the extended schedule that kept the 19-year-old center on the ice with Kamloops of the Western Hockey League until June 1 also presented challenges in his development toward a future career with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

"I don't think I got a ton stronger or bigger (last season), we played a lot of hockey this year so there wasn't much gym time," he said during Maple Leafs development camp last month. "We played until June this year, so (I) only have about two months after taking a couple of weeks off. I'm spending a month and a half in Toronto so that's the plan for me in the offseason, get bigger, get stronger."

Selected by the Maple Leafs in the second round (No. 38) of the 2022 NHL Draft, Minten had 67 points (31 goals, 36 assists) in 57 games with Kamloops last season, an improvement from 55 points (20 goals, 35 assists) in 67 games in 2021-22. Kamloops finished fourth at the 2023 Memorial Cup, losing 5-4 to Peterborough in the tiebreaking game for a chance to play in the semifinal.

"We've seen a little bit of growth in him already in terms of his strength and explosiveness," said Hayley Wickenheiser, Toronto assistant general manager of player development. "He's starting to fill into the frame that he has, which is a pretty good frame to put mass on.

"He's got a really tricky release, a good release, and it's now just about evolving his tenacity and assertiveness in the way he plays the game to be able to dominate more in different areas of the game, so that when he steps on the ice, other players know he's out there and he can hurt us at the WHL level. It's more of a mentality for Fraser and continuing to expand on his physical development."

Kamloops coach Shaun Clouston said he noticed an improvement in Minten's assertiveness last season compared to the season before.

"He wanted to develop a bit of a harder element to his game and he was able to do that," Clouston said. "He's turning into a man (6-foot-1, 185 pounds) and he's going to be a big player. He was never that player as a minor hockey player, he was a smaller player. So he embraced that."

"You want the strength to equate to quickness, to speed, to power in the harder areas, the corners and front of the net. He pushed himself really hard this year. Mentally he knew to get to the highest level, that was going to be important. Lots of nights, he led our team in hits, in takeaways so he understands at a pretty high level that self-awareness and what he needs to do to continue to improve to take his game higher."

Heading into his fourth season with Kamloops, Minten said he is excited for the chance to embrace a leadership role. He has averaged nearly a point a game in his first three WHL seasons, with 140 points (55 goals, 85 assists) in 144 games.

"I think it would be an awesome opportunity to be a leader and one of the top players on the team," Minten said. "Come to [Toronto for Maple Leafs] training camp and have another good camp here and then go dominate the WHL next year. That's my goal, go back and hopefully be a leader on my team and show everyone the ropes and have a really good year there."

Which is a role Clouston said he believes Minten will excel in.

"I really do," Clouston said. "He's extremely mature and very aware of the feel in the dressing room. He's definitely a very conscientious person and well-liked, looked-up-to, well-respected by his teammates. He's really primed and ready to take on a lot there."