Everything is coming up Fraser Minten these days.

The 19-year-old Kamloops Blazers forward will begin the 2023-24 season with the Toronto Maple Leafs’ after an impressive showing during training camp and pre-season.

“It means everything. It’s been a dream of mine for as long as I’ve been alive and playing hockey to be in a position like this,” Minten told reporters Monday.

“It’s hard to get here, and it’s even harder to stay.”

Minten will make his NHL debut Wednesday when the Maple Leafs host the Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena. He’ll likely slot in as the third-line centre alongside Matthew Knies and Calle Jarnkrok.

“Maybe after those couple Montreal games [Sept. 29-30] I started to, like, really believe it,” Minten said.

“After those games when I was playing tough match-ups and holding my own, I kind of got the inner confidence that it was a possibility [that I’d make the NHL out of camp].”

Fraser meets the media after MAKING THE MAPLE LEAFS OUT OF CAMP! 😍😍 https://t.co/Q4oWxmzUJw

— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) October 9, 2023

A second round selection of the Leafs in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, Minten put up 67 points (31 goals and 36 assists) in 57 regular season games with the Blazers last season.

Prior to training camp, the Vancouver native said his goal was to make Canada’s World Juniors team.

“I think it would be an awesome opportunity to be a leader and one of the top players on the [Blazers],” Minten told NHL.com in August. “Come to [Toronto for Maple Leafs] training camp and have another good camp here and then go dominate the WHL next year. That’s my goal, go back and hopefully be a leader on my team and show everyone the ropes and have a really good year there.”

Minten will either have to stick it out with Leafs or be sent back to the Kamloops Blazers for his 19-year-old WHL season. He’ll be able to play in up to nine NHL regular season games before burning a year of his entry-level contract that carries a cap hit of US$845,833 this season.

From last year’s high flying Blazer squad…. Who had Fraser Minten on their bingo card as the 1st to play in the @NHL ?
It makes you realize what NHL teams covet in young players. pic.twitter.com/toxAOVf0yi

— Jon Keen (@JonKeenNLSports) October 9, 2023

Should Minten get sent back to the WHL, he’ll likely assume first-line centre duties with the Blazers, and be one of the team’s top offensive contributors.

“I think there is still a chance he’s back [with Kamloops] but its great to see just how well he’s playing,” Blazers Head Coach and General Manager Shaun Clouston told Radio NL last Monday. “We’re a developmental hockey league and we want to see players develop here and move on to the pro ranks.”

“He’s a very hard working, very intelligent hockey player and he’s making the best of his opportunity.”