The Boston Bruins made a tough call by trading defenseman Brandon Carlo to their fiercest NHL rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs. However, Don Sweeney and the Spoked B received a significant return in the exchange. The move has looked even better for Boston after a star prospect acquired from Toronto delivered an impressive performance in the AHL.
It may be time to face the facts in Beantown, no matter how discouraging they may be amid a troublesome 2024-25 NHL season. The Bruins have failed to show consistency under interim head coach Joe Sacco, and their Stanley Cup Playoffs hopes are running very low after deflating losses.
This season might be headed for the gutters, but at least the future isnât looking as gloom as the present in Boston. Especially after Fraser Mintenâs stupendous showing during the Providence Bruins 4-1 victory over the Springfield Thunderbirds in the AHL.
Minten landed in Bostonâs system as part of a significant return package for Carlo, along with a conditional 2026 first-round pick and a fourth-rounder in 2025. His addition to the franchise is an exciting one, and after scoring a natural hat trick in just his third game with the AHL affiliate, his value to the franchise is already evident.
Fraser Minten #39 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period in an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on October 16, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blackhawks defeated the Maple Leafs 4-1.
Meanwhile, Torontoâs struggles seem to be compounding, as the team has hit a slump in the NHL, and their recently traded prospect appears to have found a new home on the enemyâs side.
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Mintenâs stats
Drafted by the Maple Leafs with the 38th overall selection in the 2022 NHL entry Draft, Minten made his NHL debut during the 2023-24 season, though he only appeared in four games during that campaign and registered no points.
He played 15 games with the Leafs this season, scoring two goals and adding two assists to his personal statline. As he fits in with the Bruinsâ organization, Minten is still a work in progress.
Yet, his recent outings have shown heâs ahead of schedule in his development and could see opportunities on the first team this season. Especially if the Bruins spiral out of control and miss on the playoffs, then Minten could be added to the roster for the late games of the campaign.
Boston Bruins interim head coach Joe Sacco smiles at his news conference following their 1-0 win over the Utah Hockey Club at TD Garden on November 21, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Bruins need to step up
However, the mood in Boston is far from ideal. During the Bruinsâ latest outing, the home fans booed the team off the ice after a deflating 6-2 loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Star Hampus Lindholm didnât shy away from the jeering during his media availability, sending a clear message to the locker room.
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âThe compete level was nowhere to be found. Unacceptable overall, there and itâs frustrating for sure,â Lindholm stated, via NESN. âYou always want to play hard at home. The fans deserve it. They pay a lot of money to come here and watch us play. Obviously, they have every right to boo when the effort is like that. We talked about it too. Always work hard, even though weâre down, we try to push back. But tonight, it was unacceptable. We deserve to get booed.â
