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Fraser Minten Scouting Report: 2022 NHL Draft #61

Fraser Minten Scouting Report

Welcome back to Top Shelf Prospects, the daily column that brings you the next crop of professional hockey players. Each day I will bring you a new player profile or topical article in the lead-up to the 2022 NHL Draft. Be sure to bookmark the site, follow me on Twitter, and spread the word for the site that will bring you analytical and critical profiles and scouting reports! Last Word On Hockey Prospects is your new headquarters for everything “NHL Draft”! We have a complete listing of our draft articles here. Today we bring you our Fraser Minten Scouting Report.

A fourth-round pick, 72nd Overall, by the Kamloops Blazers in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft, centre Fraser Minten has impressed over the last two years. He was excellent in the COVID-shortened 2020-21 WHL season. He scored four goals and 14 assists for 18 points in 20 games.

Minten followed that up with a solid draft season. He scored 20 goals and 35 assists for 55 points in 67 regular-season games. Minten was even better in the playoffs. He put up six goals and 10 assists for 16 points in 17 games. Minten helped the Blazers sweep the Spokane Chiefs in the first round. They also defeated the Vancouver Giants in six games in the second round. Unfortunately, the Blazers fell to the Seattle Thunderbirds in the Western Conference Final, losing in seven games. Minten was also part of Team Red at the CHL Top Prospects Game.

Born in Vancouver, Minten played his minor hockey with the West Vancouver Academy Prep school. In 2018-19, he was named to the CSSHL All-Academic Team. In 2019-20 he scored 20 goals and 61 points in just 34 games. He also added a goal and two assists in one game in the CSSHL playoffs.

Fraser Minten Scouting Report

Centre — shoots Left
Born July 5th, 2004 — Vancouver, British Columbia
Height 6’1″ — Weight 185 lbs [185 cm/84 kg]

Skating

Minten’s skating is decent. It will not hold him back, but it is not something that sets him apart either. He has a decent first step and above-average acceleration. He also has good top-end speed. Minten can keep up with the play and his skating is good enough that he does not get caught up the ice either. He is able to play a two-hundred-foot game. His edgework and agility are also good. He generates decent power and speed with his crossovers. He also does a good job of moving laterally, marking his man in the defensive zone. Minten is strong on his skates. He has good balance and is difficult to knock off the pukc. This helps him to win battles in the corners and in front of the net.

Offensive Game

Minten plays a simple but effective offensive style. He is very much a North-South style of player. Minten loves to get to the front of the net and scores the majority of his goals in tight to the net. He can score with a tip-in, pouncing on a rebound, or with a quick one-timer. Minten has a good wrist shot and release from further out but does not use it that often. Instead, he looks to get to high-danger scoring areas. Minten works well in the cycle game, moving the puck quickly to teammates and getting open for a return pass. He prefers to keep the puck moving and keeps possession in the offensive zone over trying to make a creative but risky play to create a scoring chance.

Minten needs to work on his puck handling. He really slows down with the puck on his stick, to an extremely noticeable degree. He also isn’t likely to make a lot of plays carrying the puck through the neutral zone. Instead, this is an area where Minten moves the puck quickly to an open winger. If he does not have a pass, Minten is content to play the dump-and-chase style of game. He gets in quickly on the forecheck and forces opponents to make plays quicker than they would like to. He also does a good job of winning battles on the boards and in front of the net. Minten has a strong work ethic and is always in the middle of scrums and other gritty play.

Defensive Game

Minten is an excellent defensive player. His positioning is extremely good. He always keeps himself between his man and the front of the net. He also does a really good job of forcing his man to the outside and away from the high-danger shooting areas. Minten is extremely smart. He reads the play well and his anticipation allows him to intercept passes and create turnovers. When a turnover is created, he moves the puck up the ice quickly, starting the transition game. Minten is willing to support the defence, containing the cycle game and battling for loose pucks along the boards. He could stand to improve in the face-off circle though. Minten is very effective on the penalty kill as well.

Projection and Comparison

Minten could become an effective checking line centre at the next level. With his work ethic, size, and defensive ability, he is a relatively good bet to carve out a pro career. The question is if he can produce enough offensively to be more than a bit player at the NHL level. Minten will need to work on his puck control and maintaining his speed while making plays. He can also just improve his offensive tools in general in order to take the next step. He could become an effective third-line player and penalty killer if he can take those steps. Minten’s game is reminiscent of Nick Paul. This is a stylistic comparison only though and is not based on skill and ability.

Highlights

The following is a compilation of some of the highlight packages and features of Fraser Minten that are available on youtube and Twitter.

 

Check back later for our next NHL Draft article.

 

Fraser Minten Scouting Report Main Photo:

Ben Kerr

Ben Kerr

Ben is a credentialed sports writer from just outside Toronto, Canada. A lawyer, he has a highly analytical approach to writing. Ben is the COO of Last Word On Sports INC. Most of his writing can be found in the hockey department, though he follows and writes on other sports as well.

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