Maple Leafs protected their most valuable prospect in the Kirill Marchenko trade

Seeing Easton Cowan on Wednesday night against the New York Islanders made me think about something: The Toronto Maple Leafs did the right thing by trading Matthew Knies instead of Cowan.

The thought came to mind right when the 21-year-old scored a power play goal in the first period.

More specifically, there would have been a temptation to trade Cowan instead of Knies for Kirill Marchenko.

Now, the Columbus Blue Jackets had their eye on Knies from the beginning. That’s only fair. You have to give up something good to get something good. But what if the Blue Jackets had settled for Cowan? Would the Leafs have regretted keeping trading, much like the way they did with Fraser Minten?

It seems that John Chayka was not about to repeat Brad Treliving’s miscues. It was a savvy move, one that’s paying off immediate dividends.

Long-term, Cowan could become a cornerstone piece in a core that will likely feature Gavin McKenna as the centerpiece. Now, if only the Maple Leafs could find a high-end defensive prospect and a young top-tier goalie. Such a core could make Toronto one heck of a playoff contender for years to come.

Cowan does so much that Knies just doesn’t

There is no question that Matthew Knies is a great player. He’s a big, power forward who goes to the net and drives the puck home. He’s got 30, even 40-goal potential in him. While he will likely languish in Columbus, he should still be a good player for the Blue Jackets.

That said, Cowan does so much that Knies just doesn’t.

Cowan is a puck hound. He goes into the boards, digs for pucks, and doesn’t give up on plays. He’s a relentless forechecker and isn’t afraid to mix it up. On Wednesday night against the Islanders, he roughed it up a little bit with Logan Stanley, a guy at least eight inches taller than him.

That’s the sort of heart-and-soul grit guy that the Maple Leafs have lacked for so long. It might be a bit of a stretch, but he attacks the game like Doug Gilmour once did. “Killer” was the sort of guy who wasn’t afraid to jump into the fray of things.

If that’s Cowan’s ceiling, boy, are we talking about a tremendous piece for a franchise looking for mainstays.

If Cowan’s three points in his first two games of the season are any indication, the Maple Leafs will have looked like geniuses for prioritizing Cowan over Knies.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow