Toronto Maple Leafs forward Easton Cowan has been keeping tabs on good friend Fraser Minten.
Minten, who was the Maple Leafs’ second-round (38th overall) pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, joined the Boston Bruins after being traded with a conditional 2026 first-round pick and a 2025 fourth-round pick for defenseman Brandon Carlo.
The 21-year-old was drafted a year before Cowan, who was a first-round (28th overall) pick by Toronto in 2023. Minten and Cowan developed a strong relationship off the ice as two of the Maple Leafs’ top prospects in the system.
Cowan, set to make his NHL debut against the Detroit Red Wings on Monday afternoon, revealed ahead of rookie camp that he’s renting Minten’s place. Minten had bought a place in Toronto while splitting last season between the AHL and NHL before being traded to Boston in March.
Minten got off to a strong start with the Bruins, scoring the overtime-winner against the Chicago Blackhawks in the second game of the season. It was his second goal with Boston after scoring one in six games last year.
“I watched (the overtime-winner) live, actually,” Cowan smiled. “Then we FaceTimed the next night, so it was good. Obviously, such a great player and just really good to see that he’s succeeding over there.”
It’s Minten’s fourth goal through 28 career NHL games split between the Maple Leafs and Bruins. Minten is currently occupying the third-line center spot on the Bruins, a spot in the lineup that people had him projected to play during his years as a prospect in the Maple Leafs organization.
As Cowan prepares for his NHL debut, what has he learned from Minten over the years about being a consistent player at the pro level?
“Just details. Like everyone says, you got to be good on the boards and stuff like that, and I feel like I’ve done a great job of that so far,” Cowan said. “So just gotta keep going, like I said, and I’ll give him a call, let him know I’m in (Toronto’s lineup), so he’ll be pumped.”
Cowan is set to make his NHL debut on the Maple Leafs’ top line with Matthew Knies and Auston Matthews. The Bruins and Maple Leafs will play their first game of the season against each other on Nov. 8 in Toronto.
Latest stories:
Why Craig Berube Is Confident Playing Easton Cowan On Maple Leafs’ Top Line In NHL Debut
Maple Leafs Shuffle Lines After Steven Lorentz Injury; Easton Cowan Moved To Top Line
