The Toronto Maple Leafs had a lot of question marks this past summer, and one of them was what to do with Easton Cowan.
There were NHL analysts out there who thought the Leafs might trade their young, talented forward, and the logic at least made some sense.
Along with Matthew Knies (who has since been moved to the Blue Jackets), Cowan was one of the few players on Toronto’s roster with trade value but no trade protection. Cowan couldn’t veto a deal if the Maple Leafs found one.
And so maybe he was in discussions, or maybe he wasn’t, but it was certainly a thought that had occurred to people who spend a lot of time thinking about the NHL.
The Maple Leafs opened their season this week with back-to-back games on Tuesday and Wednesday, and Cowan is still there.
It’s a good thing, too, because it looks like he might just be breaking out.
Easton Cowan Stats
Cowan went for both a goal and an assist in the season-opening loss to Montreal on Tuesday night.
Then in Wednesday’s 2-1 win over the New York Islanders, Cowan scored a first period goal:
EASTON “COWBOY🤠” COWAN HAS BEEN UNLEASHED! He looks ready to take that next step.
What a keep in at the line from Morgan Rielly. Best thing I’ve seen him do in two years.
2-0 #Leafs. #PassionNeverSleeps pic.twitter.com/8OOPgbpRc0
— Jacob Pacheco (@JacobPacheco6) October 1, 2026
Cowan foreshadowed a bit of this as he shone brightly in the Toronto Marlies’ run to the AHL Calder Cup at the end of last season. The Maple Leafs had missed the NHL playoffs, but Cowan got to play in games that mattered, and he was a star at that level.
It wasn’t guaranteed to transfer back, but it might’ve been the ideal combination. Cowan got a lot of NHL experience during the regular season, then got playoff reps at the AHL level.
Now, Cowan looks ready to be a star.
Under the Radar
The thing about Cowan entering this season is that it was also easy to forget about him just a bit.
The Maple Leafs drafted Gavin McKenna No. 1 overall. He’s meant to be the face of the franchise one day, and that very well might happen.
But before McKenna, Cowan was essentially the most promising young player Toronto had in its system. That potential is still all there.
If anything, the Maple Leafs are a better team now, which should only help Cowan find ways to thrive.
So far, so good — Cowan has hit the ground running for the 2026-27 NHL season in Toronto.
Maple Leafs’ Easton Cowan Trade Decision Pays Off