Important Battle Between Two Young Maple Leafs About to Begin

A 2023 first-round pick, Easton Cowan's goal is to make the Leafs' opening night roster out of training camp.

While the trade with the Vegas Golden Knights that saw Mitch Marner head to the desert in exchange for Nicolas Roy certainly opened a spot for him, the additions of Dakota Joshua and Matias Maccelli increase the competition for Marner's vacant spot.

Going straight from the OHL to the NHL is a tall order for the Memorial Cup MVP, and Cowan will be facing stiff competition from the three players previously mentioned, but also from a 23-year-old in Nick Robertson, who is once again fighting for a roster spot.

While Robertson and the Leafs avoided arbitration with a one-year deal earlier in August, Leafs Nation has a hard time believing that he will be on the opening night roster.

To coincide with the lack of faith in Robertson, the TSN 1050's OverDrive crew polled fans asking if Cowan had the advantage over the 23-year-old on the Leafs' depth chart.

Overwhelmingly, 62-percent of fans believe that the 20-year-old Cowan will end up ahead of Robertson on the depth chart. The Leafs are reportedly hesitant to move on from Robertson despite his questionable place on the roster due to his ability to score. Should they be unable to move David Kampf or Calle Jarnkrok however, he may be the odd man out.

Cowan, on the other hand, will have to have a training camp far better than last year's if he wants to jump ahead of Robertson (if he remains with the Leafs) on the depth chart. Otherwise, the Memorial Cup Champion will begin the season with the Toronto Marlies.