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Prospect Scout Believes Maple Leafs Made a Critical Mistake at Trade Deadline

Originally posted on Maple Leafs Daily | By Dean Chaudhry | Last updated Mar 11, 2025 6:03 PM ET

The Maple Leafs may have checked a few boxes at the NHL's trade deadline, but one scout believes they also made a very big mistake in trading Fraser Minten.

Heading into the trade deadline, the Toronto Maple Leafs were trying to make big moves, but anything they were interested in doing would have cost them some combination of picks and prospects.

General Manager Brad Treliving was very reluctant to move off from prospects like Easton Cowan and Fraser Minten, but it became very apparent as we reached the deadline that if the Leafs were to acquire almost anyone of impact, it would come at the cost of one their prized prospects.

They swung for Scott Laughton, which cost them a 2027 first round pick and Nikita Grebenkin, which was seen as an obvious win because they didn't buckle on Minten, who the Philadelphia Flyers reportedly kept pushing for previously.

However, at the very end, news began to trickle in that the Leafs had acquired Brandon Carlo from the Boston Bruins. The price of that acquisition was going to be high for a big-bodied right-shot defenseman, and it cost the Leafs Minten and a first round pick.

For the present, it was a good move, but one scout wasn't too pleased with the fact that the Maple Leafs moved off of Minten instead of Cowan.

Sportsnet's Jason Bukala joined the JD Bunkis Podcast this week to give his two cents on how he compared the two prospects and how he felt about the Leafs trading Minten:

'Not great, but it was going to be the cost of doing business. At their current development stage, as crazy as it sounds, I thought maybe it was going to be Cowan [traded] over Minten... Minten's floor is higher than Cowan's, but his ceiling isn't as high as Cowan's.'

He then added that when he scouted the two players live, he felt that Minten was the more safe prospect between the two and really liked his developmental progression compared to Cowan, at least at this stage:

'When I scouted both these players live, Minten's habits, in my comfort level with the higher floor, was more comfortable with Minten compared to the state of Cowan's game today.'

Bukala mentioned several times that Minten was the safer prospect because you know exactly what you're getting from him. He won't wow you offensively like Cowan could if he hits his stride, but he does everything else better in terms of a two-way game, defensive acumen, and playing a more difficult position.

Nevertheless, the Leafs were fortunate enough to keep Cowan. However, they are really hoping that he finishes off his season on a high-note. He's had an up-and-down season, and Bukala mentioned that the Leafs are hoping he can perform more consistently.

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

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