Unlike some kids, who grow up focused on reaching the League from as early as they can remember, the 18-year-old center prospect, selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round (No. 38) of the 2022 NHL Draft, played lower-level minor hockey in West Vancouver, British Columbia, until the age of 14.
"I was still playing hockey, I just wasn't playing Tier 1 until that point, it was usually Tier 2 or 3 before that," Minten said at Maple Leafs development camp last week. "The minor hockey association I played for, we didn't have a huge pool of kids, so we were generally a little lower than the associations that had a bigger selection of kids to take from.
"Honestly, at that age, I had no real intention of ever thinking of the NHL being a possibility, so I wasn't super stressed about it. I wasn't thinking at 11 years old if I don't make the NHL it's the end of the world. I was just playing hockey for fun.
"It was when I started to get looks in Tier 1 and saw myself playing against the best kids, and not just fit in but excel amongst the top guys, that I started dreaming big and wanted to make this my goal."
Not only has Minten thrived on the ice, but he is also an accomplished classical pianist, having studied through The Royal Conservatory of Music. His talents have impressed Toronto general manager of player development Hayley Wickenheiser.
"What a smart kid," Wickenheiser said. "He has a very high IQ both in hockey and away from the rink. I think [his path to the NHL], it's a nice story and a message to send to parents and kids that there isn't just one way to do it. I find he is a very cerebral guy, he asks a lot of really good questions, he's a student of the game and loves to watch hockey."
Minten (6-foot-1, 185 pounds) stood out to Wickenheiser throughout development camp with his poise and willingness to go toward high-traffic areas.
"Just how smooth he is," Wickenheiser said. "He makes some good plays, seems to have confidence with the puck and I know he looks relatively lean off the ice, but on the ice, he uses his body well to get to the inside of the ice and seems to be not afraid to go to the tougher areas, so we're really excited about him."
The Maple Leafs intend to have Minten return to Kamloops of the Western Hockey League this season. He had 55 points (20 goals, 35 assists) in 67 regular-season games for Kamloops last season, along with 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 17 playoff games.
Toronto projects Minten as a reliable bottom-six forward but wants him to keep growing offensively.
"They didn't want to put a ceiling on it with me," Minten said. "They said, 'We see you as being a guy who is pretty safe becoming a bottom-six guy and playing there, but we also think there is a lot of possibility for you to grow into a top-six player and develop offensively as well.' They didn't put a fixed spot or a limit on it, they want me to take my game as far as I can."
Wickenheiser said that if Minten can continue to progress, she sees a bright future for him.
"He's got the size and frame to be able to make an impact," she said. "I think he can both play physical and make plays around the ice. We have to work on his explosiveness and his training off the ice, but he's very young at this point. I think he can be an impactful forward who makes plays, I think he can defend, I think he can be a two-way player, a solid player up and down the ice."
