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Top Maple Leafs Prospect Easton Cowan Reveals His Plans for the 2025-26 Season
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton Imagn Images
Top Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan has made his intentions for the 2025-26 season be known, and Leafs Nation will enjoy his response.
Former first-round pick Easton Cowan capped off his junior career with a second consecutive OHL championship, and a Memorial Cup victory while also being named the MVP of the tournament.
While the 20-year-old ended his junior career on the high of back-to-back OHL championships and a Memorial Cup, it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows for 'Cowboy' as he was the whipping boy for Team Canada during a highly disappointing World Junior tournament.
Easton Cowan Intends to Make the Maple Leafs' Opening Night Roster Next Season
Cowan appeared on 'Leafs Morning Take' on Friday, where he discussed the end to his junior career, being friends with Mitch Marner and what his plan is for the summer.
Cowan believes he has the skill and smarts to make the Leafs' opening night roster, but revealed the one area he knows he has to work on.
"Every kid in my situation would probably say to make the NHL, and that's definitely my goal... I feel like I'm capable.
I just have to keep getting bigger, keep getting faster, and keep getting stronger. It's in my hands. I feel like I'm smart enough and able to play, but obviously, I have to get bigger, and that's in my hands.
I'll take advantage of that this summer, training in London and a bit in Toronto too. It'll help me out a lot, and I'm just super excited for camp. I'll be ready for it for sure."
I just have to keep getting bigger, keep getting faster, and keep getting stronger. It's in my hands. I feel like I'm smart enough and able to play, but obviously, I have to get bigger, and that's in my hands.
I'll take advantage of that this summer, training in London and a bit in Toronto too. It'll help me out a lot, and I'm just super excited for camp. I'll be ready for it for sure."
Cowan's size has long been a criticism from scouts and analysts since being drafted by the Leafs, and although he's now listed at 6'0 and 185 pounds, there were times during the OHL season where you could see he was still not strong or big enough.
That being said, it sounds like Cowan is already looking forward to training camp in September, and given the expected loss of Mitch Marner, there may be an opportunity for him to actually play more than just 4th line minutes.
The London Knights forward ended his junior career with 84 goals and 220 points in 175 regular season games on top of 32 goals and 96 points in just 60 post-season contests and will be an impact player at the AHL or NHL level next season.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 7 | 5595 ANSWERS Top Maple Leafs Prospect Easton Cowan Reveals His Plans for the 2025-26 Season Will Easton Cowan make the opening night roster? | ||
| Yes | 3047 | 54.5 % |
| Hopefully | 1322 | 23.6 % |
| No | 1001 | 17.9 % |
| They'll trade him this summer | 225 | 4 % |
| List of polls | ||
