Former Leafs Top Prospect Set For Breakout Season Following Deadline Deal to Rival

Brad Treliving and the Maple Leafs made two very bold moves at the deadline last season, hoping they would give the Leafs the depth they needed to get past the second round.

First, they shipped out Nikita Grebenkin and a first-round pick for Scott Laughton. Then, in a last-minute shocker, they swung a deal with their longstanding Original Six rivals, the Boston Bruins, acquiring Brandon Carlo for Fraser Minten and a first-round pick.

To many, the 2022 second-round pick was the Maple Leafs' most NHL-ready prospect and it was believed that he should have played more than the 15 games he did with the Leafs last season.

Had he been given more of an opportunity, the Leafs may not have had to trade for Laughton, and in turn, could have kept Grebenkin as well.

As the Bruins officially entered a 'retool', trading a handful of players at the deadline, including captain Brad Marchand, Minten is projected to be their starting third-line center. After joining the Bruins organization at the deadline, Minten registered seven points in 11 games for the Providence Bruins and totalled 20 points in 37 AHL games last season between Providence and the Marlies.

For the Leafs, who do not have many homegrown, top-flight prospects, dealing Minten was unfortunate, but necessary to fill a long-time hole next to Morgan Rielly.

Now, Minten could be poised to torment the Leafs for the next decade plus, and may even have the opportunity to learn from Bruins alumni and future Hall of Famer Patrice Bergeron.

That's not exactly something Leafs Nation wants to hear, considering the heartbreak Bergeron inflicted on the Leafs over his career, but hopefully it doesn't dethrone the current worst trade in Leafs' history in a decade's time.