… When Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving called Minten on Monday afternoon in the middle of the 20-year-old’s lunch — a healthy lunch for the pro, no doubt — the young centre wasn’t overwhelmed. It’s a call-up he was ready for.
“They believe in me,” Minten said confidently. “That’s why I’m here.”
Injuries and a lack of bottom-six centre options have dictated that the Leafs need their 2022 second-round pick right now. Minten has played some of his best hockey after returning from a high-ankle sprain injury during a rookie tournament game against the Montreal Canadiens on Sept. 15. In his first four AHL games, the Marlies loaded Minten up with top-six minutes alongside talented players like Alex Nylander and Nikita Grebenkin. He notched two goals and four points in five games. Both of his goals had come at five-on-five, an area the Leafs have lacked offensive punch lately.
By bringing up Minten, the Leafs are not rolling the dice with, say, a recently drafted prospect. They are bringing up a known commodity.
His first goal?
