The Toronto Maple Leafs need scoring depth. The lack of it was a major reason why they were knocked out of the playoffs once again. It's something that general manager Brad Treliving is trying to address this offseason but could they maybe already have an answer in the organization?
Easton Cowan, the Leafs' first-round selection of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, has been lighting it up and being the main offensive contributor for the OHL's London Knights. Now that he has graduated from the junior league, his attention is being turned to Toronto.
Next season, the 20-year-old winger will be starting his professional hockey career either with the AHL's Toronto Marlies, or up with the Maple Leafs. Neither have to be full-time, cemented decisions but Leafs assistant general manager Hayley Wickenheiser is confident that Cowan can show what he's got and do it often enough in training camp this fall to make the Leafs' season-opening lineup in October.
How close to NHL ready is Cowan? Wickenheiser: "Time will tell. That's the question we're all asking ourselves. The money's on him that he'll be fit enough & prepared enough, the experience, to be able to step in and play. We’ll see probably very quickly when camp starts." #Leafs
— Terry Koshan 🇺🇦 (@koshtorontosun) July 3, 2025
"Time will tell. That's the question we're all asking ourselves. The money's on him that he'll be fit enough & prepared enough, the experience, to be able to step in and play. We’ll see probably very quickly when camp starts," said Wickenheiser.
Cowan will certainly be in a battle, though. Especially if GM Treliving is able to add a top-six center to ease the offensive responsibility for John Tavares, there will be competition, if we look at a very early projected lineup on July 4:
Matthew Knies -- Auston Matthews -- Matias Maccelli
Max Domi? -- XXX -- William Nylander
Bobby McMann -- John Tavares -- Nick Robertson
Scott Laughton -- Nic Roy -- Steven Lorentz
This assumes that players like McMann, Robertson, and Domi are not moved before the start of the season -- and also doesn't include forwards David Kampf, Calle Jarnkrok, Michael Pezzetta, and Ryan Reaves not in the regular lineup. To add Cowan to that group without moving any bodies out will be very difficult.
There will be more moves and some of the fat trimmed from this roster, but maybe the best thing to do is to wait and see how Cowan performs with some higher expectations put upon him. The 5-foot-11 winger has high-level playmaking and hockey sense for the game, but there are questions about his pace of play and if it is up to par for the NHL at such a young age.
It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to see if the winger can handle playing against grown men in the AHL first, before having him leap up to the NHL.
But, there are always injuries and underperforming forwards -- almost every single month, someone will be out of the lineup for one reason or another. If Cowan starts the season with the Marlies exceptionally well, we should expect a quick recall to try and see if he can stick in the NHL.
There's no telling what this lineup can look like months before training camp even starts, but Cowan does have some believers in the front office.