Who Easton Cowan May Slot in With if He Makes the Maple Leafs Out of Training Camp

It's no secret that one of the Maple Leafs' biggest weaknesses is their lack of incoming talent. For years, Toronto has traded away its high draft picks for rental players, leaving the organization with one of the weakest prospect pools in the NHL.

One of the few bright spots for the Leafs is undoubtedly Easton Cowan. The Ontario native just capped off a Memorial Cup victory with the London Knights and has quickly emerged as a truly top-tier prospect.

Drafted 28th overall in 2023, Cowan has since dominated the OHL. In his most recent playoff run with the London Knights, Cowan ended up with 13 goals and 39 points in 17 games.

His transition to the NHL has been delayed, not due to performance, but because there simply hasn't been a roster spot available. The Maple Leafs have, in the past two seasons, opted to leave him in the OHL, allowing him to develop.

That may soon change. With Cowan aging out of the CHL and continuing to improve, there's a very real chance he could earn a spot in training camp this fall. Still, Toronto has made several depth additions this offseason, meaning a spot won't be easily earned.

If he does crack the lineup, Cowan would most likely slot in as a third-line winger, on the right side, where he played with London. That could put him alongside Nicolas Roy and either Dakota Joshua or Bobby McMann. It would also give Toronto's third line a good mix of veteran presence, youth, scoring, speed, and grit.

Size will remain Cowan's biggest challenge at the NHL level. Listed at 5'11", he isn't an imposing figure, but with linemates like Roy and/or Joshua, who can handle the heavier matchups, Cowan would have the space he needs to create offense as he did with the Knights. If given that opportunity, he could contribute meaningfully right away.

Another option would be to have Cowan play next to former captain John Tavares, who had taken Fraser Minten and Matthew Knies under his wing when they were coming up. If that were to occur, one of William Nylander or Cowan would have to switch over to the left wing, assuming Nylander isn't moved up to the top line.

Of course, all of this depends on him having a strong training camp. Competition for roster spots will be fierce, and many players will be pushing to edge one another out. But if Cowan impresses, he could force the Leafs' hand and become one of the most exciting young additions to the team in years.