Maple Leafs' latest decision on Easton Cowan raising some eyebrows in Toronto
Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
As the Leafs try to showcase players, they're walking a fine line with Easton Cowan and his development, leading to comparisons of their handling of Nick Robertson.
20-year-old Easton Cowan found himself in the press-box for the last two games before the Christmas break as head coach Craig Berube wanted to get Matias Maccelli back into the lineup.
Leafs Walking A Fine Line With Cowan
Heading into the Christmas break, Cowan's consecutive scratches mark the third time he has been scratched by Berube in the first half of the season, even being sent to the Marlies on one occasion.
When news broke that the 2023 first-round pick was going to be a scratch for Sunday's game against the Dallas Stars, fans were livid, questioning why the Leafs would scratch one of the only players competing and bringing energy.
Cowan's Development Being Compared to Robertson's For the Wrong Reasons
Scratched again on Tuesday, there was concern that the Leafs were teetering a line with his development, drawing comparisons to how they hindered Nick Robertson's development with a number of unnecessary healthy scratches.
When he was healthy, Robertson found himself being yo-yoed in and out of the lineup and up and down between the Leafs and the Marlies for roster and cap purposes.
Playing at such an inconsistent rate led to Robertson being uncomfortable in playing his game, and unable to get into a rhythm.
The hope is that Cowan doesn't experience a prolonged yo-yoing of being in and out of the lineup, but that appears to depend on how long it takes GM Brad Treliving to move one of his forwards.
Through 26 games, Cowan has 4 goals and 11 points, but has shown a tremendous growth in his game and has not looked out of place, regardless of where he plays in the lineup. He has also created a ton of opportunities, making his scratch even more confusing.
Come Saturday, when the Leafs take on the Ottawa Senators, Cowan will have gone a week without playing a game if he doesn't draw back in. If he's not going to play, he at least has to go down to the Marlies to continue to get the reps that he needs to develop.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 26 | 561 ANSWERS Maple Leafs' latest decision on Easton Cowan raising some eyebrows in Toronto Are you concerned with how the Leafs are handling Easton Cowan? | ||
| Yes | 398 | 70.9 % |
| No | 102 | 18.2 % |
| It'll depend how long he sits this time | 61 | 10.9 % |
| List of polls | ||