The Toronto Maple Leafs have been searching for a young, homegrown player to perfectly complement the stars on their team. Two games into the 2026-27 season and they may have finally found their guy.
Easton Cowan has hit the ground running to start this incredibly important year. In his sophomore season, through the first two games for the Leafs, he is leading the team with a goal and three total points and is looking just so good while doing it.
Easton Cowan makes it 2-0 with his first goal of the season 🤠pic.twitter.com/ny0dNBYVlV
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 1, 2026
Whether it's his ability to see the ice so well to set up his teammates or his aggressiveness along the boards to win back possession, everything that Cowan is doing right now is gold. It's an extremely small sample size, but when the 21-year-old winger is on the ice, the Leafs have 61.1 percent of the shots on goal, 59.38 percent of the unblocked shot attempts, 58.78 percent of the raw shot attempts, and a banger 72.15 percent of the expected goals share, according to Evolving-Hockey. He is making the Leafs a dominant team and is putting the puck in the net.
While he has had his name in trade rumours in the past, as general manager John Chayka continues to search for roster upgrades, there is no way that he could be moved at this point. He's still on his rookie deal through next year and could feasibly finish the season with 60 or so points while driving play like a madman. He's the type of player every coach and every fan loves to love and now he is building on his inconsistent rookie campaign with a season start that is making us all fan ourselves.
Is Easton Cowan's promotion to the top six inevitable?
We did see some shifting of lines throughout the first two games, but as it stands right now, Cowan is still on the third line with Nick Paul and Colton Sissons while Gavin McKenna sits next to John Tavares and William Nylander.
Unfortunately, that second line has looked like they have been drowning and head coach Jim Hiller's idea to make this all-offense line has not really worked. So, Cowan feels like the easiest answer to insert him on that left wing and to get a rabid dog as a puck retriever and distributor for two very skilled shooters in Tavares and Nylander. It just feels like it makes sense and Cowan should be rewarded for his season-opening efforts.
We'll have to see if any lineup changes are made ahead of the Leafs hosting the Ottawa Senators this Saturday.
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