Minten scratched for Saturday's game against the Lightning; what it means for his immediate future
The past few weeks have undoubtedly been a bit of a whirlwind for Maple Leafs rookie Fraser Minten, who made the Leafs out of training camp, much to everyone's surprise, including head coach Sheldon Keefe.
Minten has yet to produce his first NHL point, but that's not the reason why he's coming out of the lineup. Minten has helped generate quite a few chances in his first 4 NHL games and has not looked out of place. This seems to be more about attempting to extend his 9-game trial run than anything else.
With Minten already having skated in 4 games, the Leafs allowing him to watch this one from the press box will allow him to get a bird's eye view, which he can use to watch some of the more experienced players implement the system and take some notes.
Sheldon Keefe spoke with the media on Friday and was asked about what he has been saying to the young rookie between games. He revealed that the message has been mostly to sharpen his skills, absorbing the knowledge and experience and having fun.
There has been a lot happening in his life since training camp began in Traverse City. First, he has played a lot of hockey from Traverse City through to training camp through to the preseason games and now the early going [of the regular season].
Take care of yourself. Just enjoy everything. Everything for him is gravy. He is here learning and taking it all in. He has done a good job."
Having Minten spend a couple of games in the press box is actually not a poor decision. When teams are on the road, they have less time to practice and as a result, Minten may not be able to learn as much on this 5-game road trip. The Leafs' next home game doesn't take place until October 31st against the Kings and then they're right back on the road for a meeting with the Bruins on November 2nd before kicking off a 5-game homestand. Extending his stay with the Leafs until they're at home and can make a more informed decision on his future seems to be the wise play here.
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 21 | 199 ANSWERS Minten scratched for Saturday's game against the Lightning; what it means for his immediate future If the Leafs plan to have Minten spend some games in the press box, should they just send him back to junior? | ||
| Yes, send him back now | 117 | 58.8 % |
| No, keep him for the full 9 games | 61 | 30.7 % |
| Just keep him all season. The kid is ready | 21 | 10.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
