The Toronto Maple Leafs top prospect's latest accomplishment will blow your mind
Is former Maple Leafs captain Doug Gilmour and his 40-plus year record in serious jeopardy?
The Toronto Maple Leafs have certainly missed on a few of their draft picks in recent years.
Since the Toronto Maple Leafs closed the book on their rebuild by drafting Auston Matthews, they have struggled to augment their lineup with homegrown talent. They hit on two top-four defenseman, but gave up on both too early.
The Leafs also seem to have hit on Matthew Knies, and his star turn this year, if real, would be the first pick outside of the top ten that they've successfully developed into a star player since Tomas Kaberle in 1999.
Possible even better than Matthew Kniews, however, is the selection of Easton Cowan.
The Toronto Maple Leafs first-round pick (28th overall) from the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Cowan has been constantly lighting up the scoreboard dating all the way back to last season. But the other night he did something truly incredible when he scored a point in his 50th straight game.
And thanks to his two-point effort in Saturday’s 4-0 shutout win by the London Knights over the Guelph Storm, he now has points in 51 straight games.
Red-hot Toronto Maple Leafs top prospect headed towards the record books soon
In doing so, Cowan is now only four games away from former Maple Leafs star Doug Gilmour and his Ontario Hockey League streak of 55 consecutive games in registering a point, a record that had been in place for over 40 years now. That mark could now be dangerously in jeopardy, as Cowan appears to be unstoppable as of late.
Cowan actually had a realistic shot at winning a spot in the Leafs Opening Night roster this year. Despite putting his skills and talent on full display during the preseason while recording two assists in five games, he was one of the unfortunate final cuts made by the team. Nevertheless, his failed attempt in making the Leafs out of training camp could actually be a blessing in disguise. That is because it has now ultimately gave him this opportunity to rewrite the record books and make some history in the process.
On the season, Cowan has put up 13 goals and 8 assists for 21 points, including four game-winners, in just 15 games played. In addition, there is no doubt that he has some unfinished business to deal with from last season after his Knights team came up just short in the 2024 Memorial Cup.
On top of that, Cowan will likely also be a key player for Team Canada at the World Juniors this coming winter. There, he will be looking for some redemption as well after their early quarterfinal exit at the hands of the Czech Republic. As a result, Cowan will be more than determined to get things done this time around. (All stats from hockeydb.com and chl.ca)
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For a Leafs team that has been looking for some elite homegrown talent, they may now have one that is budding with enormous potential on their hands. As Cowan continues to impress, it will only be a matter of time before he finally suits up for the Blue and White in the not-so-distant future.