The Toronto Maple Leafs number one prospect is no surprise to anyone. Easton Cowan rode a 42-game point streak—a London Knights record—to an OHL Most Outstanding Player and OHL Playoff MVP last season. His Knights won the OHL Championship, where Cowan scored 10 goals and 34 points in 18 games.
Toronto could not have asked for a better D+1 season from their 2023 first-round pick, who completely exceeded expectations last year. The 5’11” forward was seen as a bit of a project at the draft, coming off a season where he broke out in the playoffs after a mediocre regular season.
But the Leafs saw something in Cowan even at last year’s training camp. He was a later cut, staying in Toronto longer than newly drafted players usually do. Former head coach Sheldon Keefe raved about him before Cowan was sent back to junior.
At Toronto’s 2024 development camp, Cowan made it clear he wants to make the Leafs this season. Whether he does or not, it’s clear Cowan is a man on a mission, and you can tell by the way he plays. Let’s take a look at why he ranks as our number-one prospect in the Maple Leafs’ system.
Strengths/weaknesses
Cowan plays the game like a winner, so it’s no surprise he led his Knights to an OHL Championship last season.
He plays against the toughest matchups, earning the complete trust of the Knight’s coaching staff. He led the league in shorthanded goals and points, finished sixth in overall scoring, and somehow got better in the playoffs.
What sets Cowan apart is his hockey IQ and his effort. He’s comfortable in every situation, whether it’s offensive or defensive, rarely makes mistakes, and knows exactly when to pounce. He loves winning, wanting to be out there defending late leads or attacking to tie.
He gives it 110 per cent at all times, and has a nose for the puck better than anyone else in the Leafs system. It’s hard to describe his style of play as anything other than “winner”. He knows what it takes to win, and he puts in the effort to do it.
Offensively, Cowan is extremely crafty, dangling around defenders and throwing wild passes across the ice. He scored some absolute highlight-reel goals last season, and while torching NHL defenders like he does OHL blueliners isn’t as feasible, he has NHL hands. He’s got a nose for the net, able to impact plays without the puck, and has the vision to make incredible plays with it.
The best area of his game may be his forecheck. Since Cowan is so smart, he can fake out defenders while chasing them down, and then quickly lift their sticks to force turnovers. As soon as he steals the puck, he quickly turns towards the net for Grade A scoring chances. His pursuit is second to none, never giving up on a play and forcing his opponents to panic.
Defensively, he again knows where to be at all times. His stick is fantastic in his own end, and he is also a good shot blocker. Cowan reads plays before they happen, cutting off lanes or shots effectively against the opponent’s best players.
Production
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | Komoka Kings | GOJHL | 24 | 11 | 23 | 34 |
| 2021–22 | London Knights | OHL | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2022–23 | London Knights | OHL | 68 | 20 | 33 | 53 |
| 2023–24 | London Knights | OHL | 54 | 34 | 62 | 96 |
| 2023–24 | Canada U20 | WJC-20 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Cowan’s explosion last year was a surprise for sure, but the breakout really happened during the 2023 postseason. There, Cowan scored nine goals and 21 points in 20 games, heavily boosting his draft stock before the Leafs took him 28th overall.
If Cowan returns to junior, he should once again compete for the OHL scoring title along with another Red Tilson Trophy.
It’s a testament to Cowan’s drive how his scoring reached such a level last year, especially with how little scoring he did in his career up to 2023. He hit his highest points per game by a mile, and showed no signs of slowing down even a little bit.
He also shines in the playoffs, another sign that he’s just a winner. He lives for the big moments, and delivers.
Next steps
For Cowan, the goal is to make the NHL team this season. And he definitely could with a good training camp. With what he’s shown so far, it would be foolish to bet against him.
But he is just 19, and fairly undersized. The pros are a different beast, and he may just not be ready yet. Of course, that’s completely okay for Cowan. He does not have to be NHL-calibre yet, and another year could help him fine-tune his game.
The big problem is he’s not eligible for the AHL, so if he doesn’t make the Leafs roster, he’ll be sent back to junior. Now, for some guys, another year dominating the CHL is good for a boost in confidence, working on the little things, and getting a taste of winning.
But for Cowan, it feels like he’s proven just about everything he can with London. He’s got a regular season and playoff MVP, an OHL Championship, and a record-setting point streak. The goal, as he’s already said it is, should be making the Leafs. With Nicholas Robertson asking for a trade, and a forward core that hasn’t gotten it done in the playoffs at all, Cowan has a good shot at proving himself during camp.
It would be an incredible accomplishment if Cowan could crack the roster, something no one would have seen coming on his draft night. But the forward continues to prove people wrong, so don’t count him out.
Projection
Projecting Cowan for next year is tough, because if he gets sent to junior he’ll dominate, but if he makes the Leafs he’ll be sheltered and probably won’t be given a huge opportunity to play his complete game.
But in the long run, Cowan should end up a core member of the forward group, a solid point producer who plays a great defensive game and the penalty kill. With the stacked power play already established, Cowan might not get a shot on the first unit, but he should still be able to put up points on a first, second, or third line.
His size will be his biggest hurdle, but with his kind of drive and effort, it feels like he simply won’t be denied.
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