Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan makes the right decision
The Toronto Maple Leafs will have a very focused Easton Cowan at training camp later this month. He has decided to skip the London Knights training camp and focus solely on trying to make the Leafs main roster. The 19-year-old will return to the OHL if he fails to make the Leafs main roster out of camp.
The Toronto Maple Leafs prospect registered 34 goals and 62 assists for 96 points in 54 games with the London Knights of the OHL last season. For those who know Cowan personally, this decision comes as no surprise. Cowan knows how talented he is and what he can do in the OHL. Now, he can test himself and see where he fits at the NHL level. (All stats from eliteprospects.com)
Cowan was considered an off-the-board choice by the Leafs when they drafted him 28th overall in the 2023 NHL draft.
After his recent 96-point season with the Knights and numerous awards, he could be a steal for the Leafs. However, as good as he was in the OHL, the NHL is an entirely different animal. There's nothing wrong with him returning to the OHL for one more season if he doesn't make the Leafs roster, although he has seemingly accomplished all that league has to offer, so the Leafs will have to think long and hard about demoting him.
Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan makes the right decision
With everything going on with Nick Robertson still unsigned by the Leafs, there will be at least one roster spot open when training camp starts. Cowan, however, has the talent to beat out established NHL players for their jobs, so the Leafs could find themselves in a situation where they have to make room for him.
Not making the Leafs roster isn't the end of the world for Cowan. The best-case scenario is that he makes the team because he's ready. Another scenario is that the Leafs keep him long enough to give him a few games before sending him down, which they did with Minten last season. However, the Leafs have been a cautious team when it comes to promoting their prospects, so the most likely scenario is that they send him back to junior.
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Depending on what the situations are like for the Knights come playoff time, Cowan could join the Toronto Marlies for an AHL playoff run if they qualify. There is also the possibility that Cowan could join the Leafs for their NHL playoff run. Whatever happens, it's nice to see that Cowan is focused on being the best that he can be and making the Leafs his top priority.