The 2026-27 season is almost here for the Toronto Maple Leafs, as they play their season opener against the Montreal Canadiens on Sep. 29.
Now, with the regular season rapidly approaching, one of the Maple Leafs’ top young players is being viewed as a prime trade candidate to watch.
In a recent article for NHL Trade Rumors, Shawn Sinclair named forward Easton Cowan as the Maple Leafs’ top trade candidate for the 2026-27 season.
“With Matthew Knies locked in and Gavin McKenna arriving, Easton Cowan better learn to play on the right side, or he’ll never get top-six minutes,” Sinclair wrote. “The former first-round pick posted 29 points in 66 games, and is certainly the best trade chip Chayka has at his disposal.”
The idea of the Maple Leafs trading Cowan is certainly an interesting one. The 21-year-old has good upside and has already shown promise at the NHL level. Yet, he could be worth dealing if it helps Toronto land an immediate upgrade and if he is not a long-term fit on the Original Six club.
Why Easton Cowan Could Be a Great Trade Chip for the Maple Leafs
Cowan is a 21-year-old skilled forward who has already shown that he can provide solid secondary offensive production at the NHL level. With this and Cowan being a former first-round pick, there is no question that he has good trade value and could help the Maple Leafs land a significant piece to help improve their roster elsewhere.
Due to this, Cowan could certainly grab the attention of teams if made available by the Maple Leafs. He is young enough that both rebuilders and playoff teams could be intrigued by him, so Toronto could land a nice return for him if they ended up shopping him this season.
Trading Cowan Would Come With Major Risk for Maple Leafs
While Cowan would have the potential to get Toronto a strong return in a potential move, dealing him would also come with a lot of risk for the Original Six club. Cowan is already an impactful player, but with him being so young and only one season into his NHL career, he has a ton of time to improve.
If Toronto traded Cowan this early in his career and he became a high-impact top-six forward elsewhere, it would undoubtedly sting for the Maple Leafs. Due to this, the Maple Leafs need to consider all of their options carefully with the young forward.
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