It's Time for Leafs GM Brad Treliving to Make a Crucial Roster Move
The Toronto Maple Leafs need to get their bottom lines going and one way they can is by calling up Fraser Minten, their coveted young prospect.
With Toronto's offensive production lacking from the bottom half of their lineup, a lot has to be said about why they're so awful. Besides Max Domi (who only got his points at the beginning of the year) they have had almost zero production with names like Nick Robertson and Pontus Holmberg going radio silent.
Toronto needs to make a move, and while there is a lot of hype around the possibility of working a trade out to acquire someone like Trent Frederic or Yanni Gourde they can also look internally to one of their most coveted prospects:
It's Time For Fraser Minten To Shine
Minten, who had a spell with the Maple Leafs last season (0 points in 4 games) is coming back from a terrible injury and slowly made his way back into the Marlies lineup. He looks healthy, is skating normally, and is finding his form once again:
So why should Toronto turn to Minten? Well, he would solve their issues of needing a third-line center, as Max Domi, Pontus Holmberg et al aren't it. Minten hasn't had much experience but he's at a near 50% clip for faceoffs, which is a huge boost to the Maple Leafs, not to mention his offensive potential.
He can slide Domi over to the wing, and perhaps having a young upstart rookie is what is needed to spark Nick Robertson again. He's also a bigger guy at 6'1, and he can always get some size in the coming years. It would also behoove Toronto to give him a look as they really can't afford to keep trotting out a band of misfits.
Minten would also offer stability. How? Just stick him in the lineup. He can't play worse than any of the other Maple Leafs, and he is very defensively sound for a youngster. The issue with Craig Berube is that he is both stubborn and also experimental, where he doesn't want to change some players (Ryan Reaves) but has no issues sitting Robertson who at least offers some upside.
Minten deserves a look, not just because he's a young potential star for the Maple Leafs for years to come, but the adversity he's been through already as a player and the way he has responded has shown maturity years beyond his age. Give him a chance, Toronto. You can't get any worse than you already are.
