Prospect Info: 2023 1st Rd Selection - #28 OA (via BOS, WSH) - C, Easton Cowan [London Knights, OHL; [Height 5.11 -- Weight 185]

[Apotheosis]

Going to need him to be this good now that the Leafs trot out the corpse of Tavares out there

 

[LeafGrief]

I remember seeing Cowan play in his draft year and thinking he looked like a smart player. Was surprised we took him with a first, but tbh any C’s in the London Knights’ top6 are good picks. Pretty rare for them to bust, even if you only get Dvorak or McMichael, that’s still an NHL player.

Great prospect to have, but patience will pay off. We might get lucky and have him blow the roof off, but he’s probably 2-3 years away from being a player of any note on the big squad.

 

[93LEAFS]

@93LEAFS

I always enjoy reading your low key and insightful posts.

Did Cowan exceed your expectations so far to date?

Thanks.

I think he's exceeded them, I didn't expect him to make Team Canada, nor did I expect him to go as far as he did in Camp. But, it was pretty obvious you'd see a big bump considering how much Hunter trusted him at the end of last year as a 17-year-old. He was bound to get a big role this year and has lived up to. He needs to clean somethings up for the pro-level, but he's doing well.

 

[phillipmike]

 

[ULF_55]

Cowan extends point streak as Knights take on Kitchener

Easton Cowan has extended his Ontario Hockey League point streak to 32 games for the London Knights. The Mt. Brydges, Ont. native assisted on first period goals by Denver Barkey and Oliver Bonk in Saturday's matinee with Kitchener.

london.ctvnews.ca

32

 

[JamieG19]

When you read the Leafs doom-sayers go on about how the team is in for dark times the next few years you realize how clueless so many fans are....I can't say enough good things about Easton Cowan. The kid is going to have a special place in the hearts of Leafs fans. His heart and grit and will to win is unmatched and he always has a knack of making the big play when it matters. He's been taught well by the Hunters in London and Leaf fans are going to reap the rewards very soon.

Easton is the real deal.

 

[ULF_55]

When you read the Leafs doom-sayers go on about how the team is in for dark times the next few years you realize how clueless so many fans are....I can't say enough good things about Easton Cowan. The kid is going to have a special place in the hearts of Leafs fans. His heart and grit and will to win is unmatched and he always has a knack of making the big play when it matters. He's been taught well by the Hunters in London and Leaf fans are going to reap the rewards very soon.

Easton is the real deal.

He might carrying their beating heart.

 

[JamieG19]

He might carrying their beating heart.

Oh for sure he will. It's not going to take long for him to be the heart of the Leafs. I'm optimistic even all the depressed Leaf fans that never see any sunlight will fall in love with this kid after just a few games. Easton chases the puck and battles for it like his life depends on it. And then he has the skill and composure to finish it off.

 

[meefer]

I believe I've read somewhere that Cowan has grown an inch or so and put on a few lbs this year. Can anyone confirm? I should think that will help him going forward.

Congrats on 32, per @phillipmike EC is joining some heady company.

 

[leafsfan2point0]

It seems as though he’s been playing centre lately? Or at least taking draws. Would anyone know his faceoff percentage?

 

[JamieG19]

I believe I've read somewhere that Cowan has grown an inch or so and put on a few lbs this year. Can anyone confirm? I should think that will help him going forward.

Congrats on 32, per @phillipmike EC is joining some heady company.

For as much as anyone should believe height and weight stats on players, he used to be listed as 170 pounds and now he's 185. And there's a whole list of great players who are 5'11" so no worries there.

 

[JamieG19]

And if you didn't know, he was indeed named after the Hockey Stick, it's written in the stars that he would be something special

 

[613Leafer]

This kid is going to be special. Just give it time. Hold onto him be patient, absolute steal of a pick.

I hope so - we are certainly due.

We haven't had a non-top 10 pick become a top line/pairing/goalie for us since... Kaberle (drafted 1996)? Rask, Stralman, Steen, Durzi, and Verhaeghe all arguably got to that level, but not with us.

Legit best we've gotten over the past ~25 years are guys like Reimer, Brown, Gunnarsson, Liljegren, etc. Pretty sad, and almost every Cup winner has multiple core guys they can point to who were drafted outside top 10 (often outside the 1st round too).

 

[peconcan]

If London gets knocked early is he Calder cup playoffs bound or do we give him a chance to play over a Gregor/Mcmann/Holmberg

 

[leafers]

If London gets knocked early is he Calder cup playoffs bound or do we give him a chance to play over a Gregor/Mcmann/Holmberg

Anyone over Gregor.

 

[Schennanigans]

If there was a redraft where do you think he’d go?

 

[Byron Bitz]

If there was a redraft where do you think he’d go?

Prob in the teens

 

[acrobaticgoalie]

If there was a redraft where do you think he’d go?

Probably late teens. He's Cleary done enough to surpass several players but there's also others who have done the same and guys that were selected ahead of him who haven't exactly done anything to warrant dropping in a redraft.

 

[TDotMassive]

I hope so - we are certainly due.

We haven't had a non-top 10 pick become a top line/pairing/goalie for us since... Kaberle (drafted 1996)? Rask, Stralman, Steen, Durzi, and Verhaeghe all arguably got to that level, but not with us.

Legit best we've gotten over the past ~25 years are guys like Reimer, Brown, Gunnarsson, Liljegren, etc. Pretty sad, and almost every Cup winner has multiple core guys they can point to who were drafted outside top 10 (often outside the 1st round too).

Knies is doing it right now...

 

[TDotMassive]

For as much as anyone should believe height and weight stats on players, he used to be listed as 170 pounds and now he's 185. And there's a whole list of great players who are 5'11" so no worries there.

Bedard is only 5'10... obviously Chi wasted their pick lol

 

[ULF_55]

 

[Clark4Ever]

I can't wait until this kid cracks the lineup. He gives me Wendel Clark vibes but with more speed and skill.

 

[ULF_55]

CHL notebook: Cowan, Maple Leafs prospect, extends point streak to 31 | NHL.com

London forward was surprise 1st-round pick in 2023 NHL Draft

www.nhl.com

"We know he can put points up, we know he can play at the junior level in every situation," she said. "When I keep saying the details of the game, it's just appropriate shift length, changing at the right time, utilizing his teammates when it's time to make a play or carrying the puck when it's time to lug the puck, so understanding the moment and the different situations, being able to play through all three zones of the ice, not cheating the game for offense. …

"We just talk to him about those types of habits that are going to translate to the NHL level and then also at the same time not to lose the qualities that make him the elite player that he is, which is, he plays with passion and an intensity. He doesn't back down from physical confrontation. He gets into the middle of the ice and continues to play in tough areas. All the things that make him great, just to enhance that.

"Especially at this time of year when you're playing for a Memorial Cup or getting through the playoffs. That's what really separates the good players from the great ones, and I think he has the potential to do that."

 

[JamieG19]

I can't wait until this kid cracks the lineup. He gives me Wendel Clark vibes but with more speed and skill.

Yes!! I agree with you. He certainly will be loved by the fan base the same type of way.

CHL notebook: Cowan, Maple Leafs prospect, extends point streak to 31 | NHL.com

London forward was surprise 1st-round pick in 2023 NHL Draft

www.nhl.com

Wickenheiser said. "And there certainly was something that jumped out at me, that this kid has got some intangibles that you don't see in every hockey player, and the special ones tend to jump out at you in those environments. Very sure of himself. Not in a cocky way, but just confident … sort of an attitude of, he's not going to be denied, whatever that obstacle is and what gets put in front of him, he's the kind of kid that will find his way around it, and belief in himself, which I think is a fine line to walk, believing in yourself vs. appearing arrogant or overconfident.

"And I think there's a little bit of, 'I'll prove you wrong,' in Easton, just along the way of maybe not being drafted as high as he believed he could be and then being able to perform at every step that he's been in."

And fortunately, it's not just a vibe during interviews. It comes through in his play, in his tenacity that he battles for the puck.

 

[PromisedLand]

I think having a camp with the Leafs may have helped him and sparked his desire to do more out there