The Toronto Maple Leafs have been in win-now mode since the arrival of Auston Matthews. That’s resulted in lots of drafting in later stages of the first round and trading away many of those picks for NHL help in the process.
Because of that, Toronto’s prospect pool is and has been one of the weaker systems in the league. Other than Matthew Knies, the Maple Leafs haven’t been able to inject much youth of their own into the team in recent years, which can often help push contenders over the top.
However, the one prospect that everyone is banking on providing that jolt is Easton Cowan. Toronto drafted the skilled forward 28th overall back in 2023, and his development since then has the makings of being a potential steal.
Having completed his junior career, Cowan will now either start the 2025-26 season in the NHL or with the AHL Marlies, depending on how he performs at training camp. But he only has his sights set on one of those options, emphasizing his hunger to make the big club when recently speaking to Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun.
“My mindset right now is to make the Toronto Maple Leafs. That’s my goal. We’re at an NHL camp, and that’s where I’m at until further notice. This is definitely the most confident I’ve ever felt—faster, stronger, bigger. So that’s going to help me out a lot. I’ve put in the work this summer. Now, it’s just go out there and prove I can play,” Cowan said.
ICYMI, Easton Cowan says “my mindset right now is make the Leafs” versus starting the year with the Marlies: https://t.co/XaoNMRwWxQ
— Lance Hornby 🇺🇦🇨🇦 (@sunhornby) September 5, 2025
The 20-year-old had another dominant season with the OHL’s London Knights in 2024-25, amassing 69 points (29 goals, 40 assists) in just 46 games, while helping lead the team to not only an OHL championship but also a Memorial Cup victory.
Cowan could be a huge boost for the Maple Leafs
Easton Cowan proving that he’s ready for the NHL would be massive for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
For a team that’s always right up against the cap and paying their star players big money, having a young, talented player enter the fold on a rookie contract is significant.
Cowan will be entering the first season of his three-year, $2,620,500 entry-level contract, which puts him at just $873,500 against the cap.
One former London Knights star, Mitch Marner, just walked out the door; perhaps another is about to burst onto the scene and fill some of the void left behind.
