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By Colin McCarthy
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Saturday, Nov. 8 was likely circled on Fraser Minten’s calendar long before the 2025-26 season began.
Once considered a top young player in the Toronto Maple Leafs pipeline, Minten was dealt to the Bruins at last season’s NHL trade deadline as part of a deal that sent Brandon Carlo to Toronto.
On Saturday, Minten returned to Toronto for the first time since the trade, ready to make an impact with his new club. And late in the third period with Boston nursing a 4-3 lead, the 21 year old streaked through the offensive zone wide open and delivered an insurance goal that helped seal a Bruins win.
FRASER FINISHES IT OFF 👊 pic.twitter.com/HOMJKbxIAq
For Boston, it marked six straight wins. For Minten, it was just his third goal of the season, but an important one in many ways. Minten had lots of family and friends in attendance on Saturday night.
“Special night for sure,” Minten said in his postgame interview with Sportsnet. “They were pressing hard there, and I thought our line did a great job all night of getting into the O-Zone and making plays so it felt like we were due for one there. Happy that it came at a crucial time.”
"Special night, for sure."
Fraser Minten joins @sportsnetkyle after the Bruins' 5–3 win over the Maple Leafs. pic.twitter.com/LdLIQpbIt5
Boston’s bench erupted for Minten’s goal, mainly given the circumstances of the game, but also in part for Minten being the man on the other end of the stick.
And Even on a night where Morgan Geekie, David Pastrnak and the Bruins top line stole the show offensively, Minten received high praise from his coach following the game. Marco Sturm called him “the best player on the ice” in his postgame interview with NESN.
Minten was appreciative of that compliment, but didn’t dwell long on it.
“It’s great, that’s my goal as a player,” Minten said. “Continuing to build on that and earn that trust, earn those minutes, that’s why I play the game.”
Minten made his NHL debut in the 2023-24 season, but this is his first season as an NHL mainstay. He only played 21 games at the NHL level last season (15 with Toronto, 6 with Boston). In comparison, he’s already played 16 NHL games this season. And while there will be plenty of refining in his game over the next few seasons, Boston is getting solid early returns from the Carlo trade considering Minten’s impact on the bottom of the lineup this year.
Minten and the Bruins won’t wait long before seeing the Maple Leafs again, as the teams will clash again on Tuesday, this time at TD Garden. The Bruins will have some extra rest heading into that contest though, as Toronto plays again Sunday night before finishing off their three games in four days stretch in Boston.
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