The Toronto Maple Leafs are enjoying a good stretch after snapping a three-game losing streak. The franchise ended that skid with a 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks on October 19, then a 6-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.
Several players have stood out so far this season, including those already expected to play important roles, such as captain Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Gavin McKenna, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. However, forward Easton Cowan is another player making headlines early in the season.
In 10 games, Cowan has recorded points in six. On Tuesday against the Blue Jackets, he scored a goal and recorded two assists, marking his first three-point night of the season.
After these strong early-season performances, some experts have called for Cowan to take on a more prominent role, and those claims were vindicated on Thursday, as Easton Cowan scored the opening goal.
Just 1:36 into the first period, Cowan found the net to give Toronto the lead.
Easton Cowan Scores Opening Goal vs. Rangers, Backing Calls for Bigger Role
Heavy’s very own Nestor Quixtan had previously analyzed Cowan’s situation, arguing that he should remain in the top six regardless of John Tavares’ return from injury.
“At the moment, Cowan has a firm grasp on a top-six lineup spot with John Tavares out with an injury. But when Tavares returns, the team needs to keep Cowan in the top six. There’s really no question about it,” Quixtan wrote on Wednesday.
He added, “Cowan has looked increasingly confident playing on a line with Nick Paul and Kirill Marchenko. If anything, his goal against Columbus on Tuesday night exemplified just how far Cowan has come.”
Last season, Cowan played 66 games for the Maple Leafs, scoring 11 goals and recording 18 assists for 29 points. He also played four games for the Toronto Marlies in the AHL, scoring one goal and recording two assists for three points. Those games were crucial, however, as they were part of the playoffs, during which the Marlies ultimately won the AHL’s Calder Cup.
Cowan is entering the second year of his three-year, $2.67 million deal, with a $900,000 cap hit. The Maple Leafs selected him 28th overall in the first round of the 2023 NHL Draft.
At the time of writing, the game is tied 1-1, with the first period still underway.
Easton Cowan Claims Proven Absolutely Right in Maple Leafs-Rangers Game