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Maple Leafs forward sent down despite impressive preseason performance
Toronto Maple Leafs center Fraser Minten (39) Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving announced on Friday that the club has returned forward Fraser Minten to the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League (WHL).

Minten cracked the opening night roster after an impressive training camp and preseason, where he tallied one goal and four points in six games. He appeared in four games with the Maple Leafs during the 2023-24 regular season. Minten was a healthy scratch in the last three games.

Minten will return to the Blazers, where it’s assumed he will be named captain. The Blazers sit in last place in the WHL with a 1-9-2 record after 12 games this season. The 19-year-old has spent his entire WHL career with Kamloops; last season, he notched 31 goals and 36 assists for 67 points in 57 games. He added four points in 10 WHL Playoff contests and one goal in four Memorial Cup games.

The Vancouver, British Columbia product also participated in Canada’s national junior team summer meetings and is expected to compete for a spot at the 2024 World Juniors in Sweden. Earlier this week, Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis and I projected Team Canada’s roster, both having Minten making the team.

Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs have recalled defenseman William Lagesson from the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. The Maple Leafs signed Lagesson to a one-year, two-way contract after spending time in the 2022-23 season in the AHL with the Chicago Wolves. The Swedish defenseman was originally a fourth-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. He has appeared in 60 NHL games with the Oilers and Montreal Canadiens, where he has tallied seven assists.

This article first appeared on Daily Faceoff and was syndicated with permission.

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