The Toronto Maple Leafs, like virtually every contender, have precious few truly promising prospects. Years of trading draft picks and any serviceable young player have pretty much decimated the team’s pipeline.
But there’s one standout rookie this season who’s making his mark on the team. That’s Easton Cowan. Cowan made the team out of camp amid intense speculation. He didn’t quite live up to expectations early on. Despite getting his first couple of NHL goals, he didn’t seem like he fit in.
Cowan got demoted during one of the Maple Leafs’ worst runs of the season. Nevertheless, injuries allowed him a second shot this season. That’s one opportunity he hasn’t missed. His increasing confidence and contributions have led him to a larger, more meaningful role with the team.
That improvement, however, hasn’t been magical. As Cowan told Marco D’Amico of RG Media, it’s the influence of veterans that has made all the difference for the 20-year-old.
Cowan stated:
“John (Tavares), Auston (Matthews) and all the guys have been really great to me. All the guys in the room here have been perfect to me, and it makes it very easy to be able to come to the rink and work on my game and the team’s game with confidence.”
It’s a different time to be a rookie in Toronto. Once upon a time, the Maple Leafs were a predominantly young team. They were all learning at the same time. But players like Auston Matthews have gone from peach-fuzzed rising stars to the responsible adults in the room.
Meanwhile, veterans like John Tavares have become the elder statesmen on the team. That situation has created an environment for Cowan to grow and thrive.
Since landing on Tavares’ line, Cowan has shown what he’s capable of. He’s increasingly becoming the player Toronto had envisioned he would become. While Cowan may still be some time away from becoming a true fixture in the Maple Leafs’ lineup, he could be the sort of player the team could build around down the line.
Now, we’re not talking about a rebuild. Rather, Easton Cowan could be the type of player who could gradually take over the team as Tavares, Matthews, and Nylander eventually begin to decline.
If it were up to Maple Leafs’ fans, that decline would still be light years away from occurring.