Leafs prospect Minten named Team Canada's captain

Hockey Canada named its leadership group for the 2024 World Juniors on Sunday night and Saskatoon Blades forward Fraser Minten will serve as captain. 

"It's a very awesome Christmas present to start the tournament here," the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect said. 

Leafs captain John Tavares and his two young sons delivered the news via a FaceTime call to the team following their Christmas Eve dinner in Gothenburg, Sweden. Minten lived with the Tavares family early this season when he surprisingly made the Leafs out of training camp and suited up in four NHL games. 

"It was pretty cool," the 19-year-old from Vancouver said. "I haven't seen him a bunch since I left his house there, but got pretty close with him and his boys when I was there, so that was pretty sweet. He's a Canadian hero, obviously, and a great leader and good person as well, and a good friend."

Tavares helped Canada win World Junior gold in 2008 and 2009. He was the tournament MVP in 2009. 

"He's such a professional," Minten said. "The way he carries himself is so contagious and that's something you can pick up from a guy like that, just how much being a pro can rub off on other guys."

Team Canada head coach Alan Letang feels that Minten, like Tavares, is a consummate professional.

"He comes to the rink and he's focused," Letang said. "'What do we have to do today? What's needed? Is there anything I can do to help? What's the message?' And that's John Tavares too. You see him on camera. You see him at games with the Leafs. You see him in practice, and from everything I've heard, that's him. He's probably learning from the best."

During training camp, Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe raved about Minten's leadership ability.

"There is the old cliche 'mature beyond his years,' but he is that," Keefe said following a pre-season game on Sept. 30. "It is not only just how he plays, but on the bench he is the most talkative guy. There is not a lot of fluff in what he is saying. He is directing traffic. He is coaching in a lot of ways. He is engaged in the game."

Minten was named captain of the Kamloops Blazers after being reassigned to the Western Hockey League by the Maple Leafs in late October. Blazers bench boss Shaun Clouston is now an assistant coach with Team Canada.

"One of the things we do is we ask all our players in exit meetings, who's our leader next year?" Clouston told TSN in a recent interview. "We're graduating a lot of players, who's going to be the guy? And it was unanimous that Fraser Minten was going to be the No. 1 guy here. He's not overly emotional. He's passionate, but he doesn't let his emotions get the best of him."

The rebuilding Blazers traded Minten to Saskatoon in late November. 

Wenatchee Wild winger Matt Savoie, Boston Bruins centre Matt Poitras, Drummondville Voltigeurs defenceman Maveric Lamoureux and Peterborough Petes centre Owen Beck, Canada's lone returnee, will serve as alternate captains. 

"It's a good mixture," Letang said. "Mints is very serious. Becker is serious, but went through it last year so knows what we're going to face. Maveric is a big presence and comes in with lots of personality. I watch him around the lunch room and he's always talking to everybody. He pulls everybody in. You need those types of guys. And then we have Savvy, who is serious, but can have that lighter side and lighten the moment. Potsy coming back from the NHL, he naturally has everyone looking up to him. His leadership will come on the ice. His leadership will be leaning on the culture they have in Boston."

Savoie, Poitras, Lamoureux and Beck will take turns wearing an 'A' with two getting that honour in each game. 

Minten will wear the 'C' for the first time on Boxing Day when Canada takes on Finland. 

"It will be cool," he said. "It won't change how I play. I'll just keep going out and doing what I do, but it will be special for sure."

Letang noted there are plenty of good choices to wear the 'C' but Minten seems to fit this team well. 

"I don't think our group is overly energetic, but they're very businesslike and he totally resembles it," Letang said. "He does everything on the ice the right way, is always activating, is always stretching, is good in our drills, leads our drills, asks real good questions on the ice, so all those little things you need." 

"I just try and be myself," Minten said. "Just work hard, do what the coaches ask, be a reliable and versatile guy, and supportive teammate, some vocal leadership, and just try to play as hard as I can every game."