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Toronto Maple Leafs: A Closer Look at the New Prospects Drafted This Week

By Jeremy Ridgewell

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JUNE 28: Easton Cowan is selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs with the 28th overall pick during round one of the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena on June 28, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JUNE 28: Easton Cowan is selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs with the 28th overall pick during round one of the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena on June 28, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – JUNE 28: Easton Cowan is selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs  (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Toronto Maple Leafs Newest Draftees

Easton Cowan

The 18-year-old Easton Cowan is from Mount Brydges, Ontario, Canada.

While many people criticized the Leafs for not trading down to select a lower-ranked prospect, I see the fact that they liked this player enough to select him here as a good sign.

There is no team that would have viewed the Ontario based London Knights as much as the Leafs and they clearly liked what they saw.

Sure, you can trade down, but there is no guarantee that another team doesn’t also like the player you consider a diamond in the rough.

Cowan registered 20 goals and 33 assists for 53 points in 68 games for the London Knights of the OHL last season.

He also recorded 21 points in 20 playoff games last season.
(Stats from eliteprospects.com)

Cowan said he tries to model his game after Nazem Kadri and James Van Riemsdyk.

The Toronto Maple Leafs Director of Amateur Scouting, Wes Clark, said Toronto emphasized two traits going into the draft, Intelligence, and Competitiveness. Cowan scores highly in both categories.

Cowan grew up being a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and he’s a fan of Mitch Marner.

One player used as an NHL comparable for Cowan is Brayden Point. If Toronto gets anything similar out of Cowan once he makes the NHL, they’ll be more than happy. (all stats eliteprospects.com).

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