Minten latest to contribute to win for short-handed Maple Leafs

TORONTO — Fraser Minten was 11 years old when the Toronto Maple Leafs selected Auston Matthews with the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft.

Even he could not have predicted that he’d one day help replace the gaping hole in the Maple Leafs lineup left by Matthews, who has now missed seven games with an upper body injury.

That Toronto has gone 6-1-0 in the absence of their captain and best player is a testament of how a different hero — or, in some cases, heroes — have stepped up each and every night.

And on Wednesday, it was Minten’s turn to do just that.

Indeed, the 20-year-old’s first NHL goal at 8:53 of the first period proved to be the winner in Toronto’s 3-0 victory against the Vegas Golden Knights at Scotiabank Arena. Not bad for a kid who was just called up from the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies on Tuesday.

It was, to put it all in perspective, a dream come true.

“I mean, you think about it a lot,” he said, referring to scoring for the first time in an NHL game. “It's something you want one day. I mean, didn't really know how it would happen, but that was perfect.”

So, in fact, was the centering feed from forward William Nylander that he one-timed past Vegas goalie Adin Hill. With the Maple Leafs celebrating their 1-0 lead, the puck quickly was scooped up for a memento that will last a lifetime.

Once he figures out what to do with it, that is.

“I'm not sure,” he said. “I think they frame it up for you or something, give it to me and put it in my room or something.”

Whatever the case, it will be a memorable keepsake for the Vancouver native who was selected in the second round (38th overall) in the 2002 NHL Draft.

Minten caught the organization’s attention with an outstanding training camp in 2023. Still just a teenager at the time, he started the season with the Maple Leafs and was pointless in four games before being sent back to Saskatoon of the Western Hockey League, where he had 38 points (19 goals, 19 assists) in 36 games.

A high ankle sprain spoiled his training camp this past September. He returned to action with four points (two goals, two assists) in five games with the Marlies before being beckoned by the parent club.

Truth be told, the Maple Leafs need any healthy bodies they can get, especially up front.

Matthew Knies is the latest Toronto forward to be banged up, suffering an upper body injury in the second period when he was hit by Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud. He did not return to the game.

Join the club.

Along with Knies and Matthews, Toronto was also missing forward David Kampf, who was moved to injured reserve (retroactive to Nov. 16) with a lower-body ailment. Calle Jarnkrok, who has yet to play this season, underwent groin and sports hernia surgery and won’t be back for months. Max Pacioretty (lower body) is being called week to week by Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving. Forward Ryan Reaves, meanwhile, is suspended for five games, which would put him back in the lineup on Dec. 4. And forward Max Domi did not play because of an undisclosed ailment.

That’s six forwards, for the record, who were unavailable to the Maple Leafs when the game began. After the Knies injury, that total went up to seven.

In the end, that opened the door of opportunity to Minten. And he made the most of it, showing none of the nerves that he had during his four-game audition with Toronto a year ago.

"Yeah, I think I was more assertive and felt more confident for sure,” he said. “You just kind of go out there and it's a little less like awe. It's more like you can fit in and be effective.

“That was my goal; just try to do that.”

Mission accomplished, at least for one night.