If there was any doubt as to who the Leafs’ number one prospect was heading into this season, Easton Cowan made sure the discussion died quickly.
Making headlines with his franchise-record-breaking point streak, which he carried all the way into the end of the regular season and capped at 36 games, the Maple Leafs first-round pick in 2023 has given fans of his NHL team something to look forward to over the next few years. Not only has he established himself as a high-octane prospect following a 34-goal, 96-point campaign through 54 games, he’s also proven to have a little bit of an edge to his game. He’s not afraid to go into the dirty areas, not afraid to throw the body, and he’s certainly not afraid to run his mouth a little bit when the situation calls for it.
One of those situations came in Tuesday night’s playoff game against the Flint Firebirds. Cowan scored the second goal of the game for the Knights in rockstar fashion, hammering home a one-timer and then taking the opportunity to beak at a fan who had apparently been, well, beaking at him earlier in the game.
TALK TO EM COWBOY 🤠@MapleLeafs | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/Y5UIbDwLgj
— London Knights (@LondonKnights) April 2, 2024
Hmmm…a player with sneaky offensive production who isn’t afraid to mix it up both with other players and fans…does this type of player ring a bell for anybody? *Cough* Darcy Tucker *cough*.
Okay, easy there. I’m not saying Cowan is going to be the next Darcy Tucker. Still, it’s safe to say that the Mount Brydges, Ontario native has all the makings of a future fan favourite if he pans out with the Leafs. His blue-collar attitude carried him through the sea of critics and skeptics when he was originally drafted, and developing that kind of a chip on your shoulder before you even sniff the NHL can only bode well for you in the future, especially for a market like Toronto that’s long valued the meat-and-potatoes types of players, whether they be the early-2000s crop of Tucker, Tie Domi, and Gary Roberts, or the new-age versions like Simon Benoit and Jake McCabe.
The Knights will go for the series sweep over the Firebirds on Thursday night, and while Cowan’s point streak record is technically capped at 36 games and can’t extend into the postseason, he’s added two goals and two assists in the Knights’ three playoff games, with at least a point in each game. So, unofficially, make that 39 straight games with a point.
Cowan’s entry-level contract will more than likely give him an increased opportunity to crack the Maple Leafs’ roster out of camp next season, so fans could be getting a look at him in the blue and white sooner rather than later.
