Fraser Minten's Fate Decided by the Toronto Maple Leafs After Recovering From Injury

This week has started pretty well for the Toronto Maple Leafs thus far (knock on wood) as they ended their three-game losing streak and handed the Winnipeg Jets their first loss of the season. Backed by a hat-trick by John Tavares and a newly rejuvenated second line, it looked like the Maple Leafs figured it out; at least for one game.

Well, the good news keeps on rolling in as Toronto announced that they activated Fraser Minten off the injured reserve and re-assigned him to the Toronto Marlies in an attempt to get him some reps.

It's a massive boost not only to the Marlies roster but for the Maple Leafs, as Minten was NHL-ready and due for a roster spot before he got injured during the Prospect Showcase against the Montreal Canadiens. He's been in recovery ever since and was recently seen skating in a grey 'extras' practice jersey in a positive sign:

Hopefully, Minten's stay with the Marlies won't be long, as Toronto still does some shuffling at the bottom of their roster, but with the return of Calle Jarnkrok and Connor Dewar imminent; it may be a bit longer than anticipated. Although, the Marlies sure won't mind some extra reinforcements. This year, the Maple Leafs AHL affiliate has been outstanding, jumping out to a 6-0-0 record and backed by veteran Logan Shaw, the emergence of Alex Nylander, and Alex Steeves continued AHL dominance:

Minten's addition to the lineup will undoubtedly add to a Marlies team that has completely taken the AHL by storm. If he can get a lot of reps and find his electric skating ability again; especially coming off an ankle injury. The Maple Leafs are hopeful that a handful of games for Minten will be enough for him to come back to the main squad and make a difference.

It's a huge step forward for both the Maple Leafs and Fraser Minten, and it will be exciting to watch the prospect finally take the ice again as fans await one of their future game-changers.