Fraser Minten is one of those players who heads into this Bruins training camp with several different directions that things could go for him in the short term.
He’s clearly one of the most respected prospects in the B’s system after arriving in Boston as part of the Brandon Carlo trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the 21-year-old lived up to that billing while posting three goals and seven points in 11 games for the P-Bruins before logging six games with the Big B’s at the end of the season as well.
It certainly feels like the Bruins are grooming him as their future third-line center after deploying him in that kind of a role during the AHL playoffs, where he was killing penalties and taking all of the important defensive zone draws for Providence, along with providing secondary offense. It’s in part because the Bruins see a lot of parallels between the 6-foot-2, 195-pound center and the job that Charlie Coyle did for the last five seasons in Boston as a 200-foot, two-way center that took care of a lot of the small details that led to the Bruins winning games.
“Brandon [Carlo], you know, in his case, is an elite penalty killer in the National Hockey League, and Charlie Coyle is as well. If [young players that will eventually replace those veterans] are slotted appropriately on our team, we have success which we have had,” said Don Sweeney. “So the next players have to go in and go through some of those learning curve experiences. Fraser Minten is a left-hand shot, [he] goes in, he's taking draws on the left side, that's different from Charlie. So, we have to have players grow and assume those responsibilities.
“We lost quality people and quality players. That's what made it so professionally and personally painful at the [NHL trade] deadline because they've been successful, they're going to continue to be successful. And it's an opportunity for somebody else to come in as you reference, to take over those minutes.”
Both the Bruins and Minten himself know that his NHL time is coming, but ultimately, that his effectiveness will be built on the strength of winning battles in the danger areas all over the ice. Minten probably isn’t going to ever be a 30-goal scorer despite solid offensive skills and he’s not going to wow onlookers with blazing speed or breathtaking puck skills, but he’s exactly the kind of well-rounded, intelligent forward that seems to populate winning hockey teams at the NHL level.
It's just a matter of getting Minten to the point where he can win those battles with the size and strength packed on his 6-foot-2 frame.
“I feel like I can play out there at this time, but I don’t want to just play. I want to be impactful and consistent and produce,” admitted Minten last year during his late season cup of coffee with the Black and Gold. “I feel like getting stronger will only help with that. Inevitably it will come with age. You see all the best players are usually in that 24 to 30 kind of range and the faster I can get my body into that man’s body, the faster I’ll be able to impact the game at a higher level.”
Now he’s going to get his first legit shot at NHL training camp while being eyed as a possible third-line center option at the NHL level, where he’ll compete with fellow youngster Matt Poitras, and also have fourth line options like Mark Kastelic and Sean Kuraly that could be in the mix for third line duty depending on how things shake out.
It’s exactly the kind of situation where Minten could seize the job if he shows that he’s physically and mentally ready during NHL training camp, and his readiness could go a long way toward improving Boston’s forward outlook next season where many believe the Bruins will struggle offensively without an influx of talent.
ONE TIMERS
• Marco Sturm paid a visit to New England Patriots practice this past week and continued the longstanding relationship between Bruins and Patriots head coaches by meeting with Mike Vrabel as the Pats were getting ready for their season opener.
Sturm is no stranger to Gillette, having visited the football stadium during his playing days with the Black and Gold, and likened the job he’s taking on with the Bruins as very similar to the challenge Vrabel has been handed with the Patriots. There are definitely some interesting parallels with Vrabel, Sturm and Alex Cora all leading Boston pro sports franchises after they were playing for those respective teams in Boston during the same era roughly 20 years ago.
Bruins Coach Marco Sturm on Patriots Coach Mike Vrabel:
— Boston Bruins on CLNS (@BruinsCLNS) August 27, 2025
"Seems like a really good football guy, lots of energy, ready to work every day. I remember him as a player and I feel like that's exactly how he coaches too,"
-@CLNSMedia @PatriotsCLNS #NFL pic.twitter.com/6RleBbQb2i
“You still need a guy who pushes you every day,” said Sturm to reporters of the challenges for each of the head coaches in a different day and age for pro athletes. “Seems like in every sport, the athletes are getting younger and younger. So it’s a little bit up to the leadership group and also up to the coaches, up to us, to push those guys every day.”
*The Bruins rolled out their national TV schedule last week, and it included their season opener on the road against the Washington Capitals on Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 730 pm on TNT. In all the Bruins are slated for 17 nationally televised games, including the Friday afternoon Black Friday matinee against the Rangers on Nov. 28 and the Feb. 1 Stadium Series outdoor showdown against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Florida.
Here’s the full schedule:
Wednesday, October 8: Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Tuesday, October 21: Florida Panthers at Boston Bruins, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Tuesday, November 11: Toronto Maple Leafs at Boston Bruins, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)
Friday, November 28: New York Rangers at Boston Bruins, 1 p.m. ET (TNT)
Saturday, January 10: New York Rangers at Boston Bruins, 1 p.m. ET (ABC)
Tuesday, January 13: Detroit Red Wings at Boston Bruins, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Tuesday, January 20: Boston Bruins at Dallas Stars, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Sunday, February 1: 2026 NHL Stadium Series™, Boston Bruins at Tampa Bay Lightning, TBD (ESPN)
Wednesday, February 4: Boston Bruins at Florida Panthers, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)
Saturday, February 28: Boston Bruins at Philadelphia Flyers, 3 p.m. ET (ABC)
Saturday, March 7: Washington Capitals at Boston Bruins, 12:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Sunday, March 8: Boston Bruins at Pittsburgh Penguins, 4:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Saturday, March 14: Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals, 3 p.m. ET (ABC)
Monday, March 16: Boston Bruins at New Jersey Devils, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Saturday, March 21: Boston Bruins at Detroit Red Wings, 8 p.m. ET (ABC)
Sunday, April 5: Boston Bruins at Philadelphia Flyers, 3:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Saturday, April 11: Tampa Bay Lightning at Boston Bruins, 12:30 p.m. ET (ABC)