The Toronto Maple Leafs are opening training camp shortly and all eyes will be on one 20-year-old winger to see if he can do enough to make the NHL in his first professional season. But it is important for the Leafs to remain patient for Easton Cowan to fully develop into what he needs to be to reach his peak.
The Ontario-born player was drafted by Toronto in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft in the first round and 28th overall. Before this, Cowan played in the OHL for the London Knights since the 2021-22 season, winning the Memorial Cup just last season. He closed off the season with 29 goals in his 46 games played and was awarded the Stafford Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the 2025 Memorial Cup.
Coincidentally, another, now former, Leaf won the same MVP title for the same London Knights just nine years ago…Anyways.
Cowan spoke with Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun about his summer of training and said, “It all went well, I put on weight and got better.” According to his agent, Dave Maloney, not only did he gain weight, coming in at around 190 lbs, but he also grew taller, at 6 feet tall. The young right-winger is determined to make the team - but the Leafs will survive if he doesn't.
The young player has improved his skills and is more confident than he was when he first joined the team, which is great news and shows that he is developing. However, he is just 20 years old and has time to grow into the player the Toronto Maple Leafs need him to be. This could mean making an appearance in a few preseason games before being sent to the Toronto Marlies for the season. He is a great option to have as a call-up if needed. Playing for the Marlies is a great way to ease him into a higher level of professional hockey, while getting to know the organization. The transition straight from the OHL to the NHL can be tough on a young player, especially one with such high expectations.
If Cowan stays with the Marlies until 2026, that puts the Leafs in a good position to figure out what direction they want to team to go, with multiple contracts expiring that year. McMann, Laughton and Jarnkrok are just a few of the players whose contracts will be up at the end of next season. Hopefully, Cowan will be able to further develop in this time before coming onto the Leafs roster for the 2026-27 season, as a piece of the puzzle, as other contracts and players are arranged. He would fit in well with the bottom six to start, but could easily find success with some of the top lines.
In the meantime, the Leafs don’t necessarily need Cowan on the team to see a successful 2025-26 season. Although his efforts wouldn't hurt the team, it's always a safe bet to allow the player time to develop and not rush them into an NHL season if they don't need to be.