Prospect Info: 2023 1st Rd Selection - #28 OA (via BOS, WSH) - C, Easton Cowan [London Knights, OHL; [Height 5.11 -- Weight 185]

[MapleLeafs9]

Not sure if this clip was posted yet, but this was included in the Athletic's prospect ranking.

While not all goal/assists, this compilation is far more impressive and gets me more excited than the goal clips I've seen to date. He looks like he could be a player with some good development (which I do trust London to help with).

Work on that stride the next couple years and we likely have a gem

 

[francis246]

Another player who didn't exactly light the world on fire in their draft year:

Jordan Kyrou, drafted 35 OA in 2016. 51 pts in 65 OHL games.

Now a PPG player in the NHL.

Also go look at Brad Marchand’s trajectory in the QMJHL. Weren’t the greatest. And slowly built up into a solid player.

I see a lot of Marchand/Kadri in Cowans game. Just a pest, always on the puck, makes good plays around the net. He also has a bit of Marner in him as well but more competitive and willing to finish checks.

 

[horner]

Also go look at Brad Marchand’s trajectory in the QMJHL. Weren’t the greatest. And slowly built up into a solid player.

I see a lot of Marchand/Kadri in Cowans game. Just a pest, always on the puck, makes good plays around the net. He also has a bit of Marner in him as well but more competitive and willing to finish checks.

He initiates contact

 

[JT AM da real deal]

To me a worrisome pick .. bottom line another small guy with a SHORT stride .. his intangibles are largely good - hits, scores, makes plays, has had skills, has hockey sense and plays in toughest league da O ... he will have GREAT numbers with Knights next year so everyone going to get really excited .. like i said small guy in a big mans league with a short STRIDE .. gents strides don't change much and this is not a tweaking thing it is fundamental

 

[DragoGrizzly]

To me a worrisome pick .. bottom line another small guy with a SHORT stride .. his intangibles are largely good - hits, scores, makes plays, has had skills, has hockey sense and plays in toughest league da O ... he will have GREAT numbers with Knights next year so everyone going to get really excited .. like i said small guy in a big mans league with a short STRIDE .. gents strides don't change much and this is not a tweaking thing it is fundamental

I don’t think 5’10 and 180 pounds at 17 years old is really all that small, do you? I mean, our toughest forward last year was 5’10 Acciari. There are tons of 5’10 nhlers. It’s not like he’s 5’7 or something.

 

[RoadWarrior]

Another player who didn't exactly light the world on fire in their draft year:

Jordan Kyrou, drafted 35 OA in 2016. 51 pts in 65 OHL games.

Now a PPG player in the NHL.

Kyrou had virtually no PP time and limited ice time in his draft year due to a suspect coach so all of his points came at even strength. He actually finished near the top of his draft class in even strength points per 60 mins.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

I don’t think 5’10 and 180 pounds at 17 years old is really all that small, do you? I mean, our toughest forward last year was 5’10 Acciari. There are tons of 5’10 nhlers. It’s not like he’s 5’7 or something.

To me 5ft10 is tiny .. and he does not skate with a long fast stride .. he will be a great O player but struggle with men

 

[jaric1862]

Couple thoughts:

1. Thinking back on the draft, I think Molendyk was their guy. All the discussions of trading back happened after he was picked.

2. It feels like our amateur scouting really targets these "projects" because they have such a good developmental team. Seems that they target guys with high hockey IQ but no tools. I don't know about others on this board but I think that this is a flawed approach.

3. I wonder if Brad Treliving completely re-hauls the amateur scouting department. It seems like each of the past regimes has been quite dogged in their philosophy. Id rather we draft a wide variety of player than zero on a specific player.

 

[Brew]

To me a worrisome pick .. bottom line another small guy with a SHORT stride .. his intangibles are largely good - hits, scores, makes plays, has had skills, has hockey sense and plays in toughest league da O ... he will have GREAT numbers with Knights next year so everyone going to get really excited .. like i said small guy in a big mans league with a short STRIDE .. gents strides don't change much and this is not a tweaking thing it is fundamental

So you care about his stride? Any other reason he will bust?

 

[Fonzieleaf]

Couple thoughts:

1. Thinking back on the draft, I think Molendyk was their guy. All the discussions of trading back happened after he was picked.

2. It feels like our amateur scouting really targets these "projects" because they have such a good developmental team. Seems that they target guys with high hockey IQ but no tools. I don't know about others on this board but I think that this is a flawed approach.

3. I wonder if Brad Treliving completely re-hauls the amateur scouting department. It seems like each of the past regimes has been quite dogged in their philosophy. Id rather we draft a wide variety of player than zero on a specific player.

Yeah as soon as Nashville picked him he was on the phone immediately. Pretty good assumption it was Molendyk.

 

[hockeynorth]

Yeah as soon as Nashville picked him he was on the phone immediately. Pretty good assumption it was Molendyk.

Apparently Molendyk showed really well this week too

 

[hockeywiz542]

Easton Cowan agitates his way into Maple Leafs' good books at development camp

Easton Cowan, the Maple Leafs' first-round pick in 2023, made good initial first steps with the organization at development camp this week.

torontosun.com

Never mind that the Maple Leafs went off the board when they chose Easton Cowan in the first round of the 2023 National Hockey League draft last month.

The 18-year-old forward with the London Knights proved he belonged during the past several days at the Leafs’ development camp at the Ford Performance Centre. He was picked 28th by the Leafs in Nashville after few mock drafts had him going in the first round.

“Easton came in and had a really good week,” Leafs assistant general manager, player development, Hayley Wickenheiser said on Saturday following the scrimmage that brought the camp to an end.

“I like the way he plays the game, with a lot of passion and energy and agitating. Coming in, there’s a lot of attention (because he’s) your highest draft pick.”

Cowan played on a line with a couple of the Leafs’ higher-end prospects, Nicholas Moldenhauer and Ty Voit, and helped create more than a few offensive opportunities for Team White during the scrimmage.

Cowan will spend the summer training and skating in London with an eye toward dominating in the Ontario Hockey League next season. He had 53 points (20 goals and 33 assists) in 68 games in 2022-23, following that with 21 points in 20 playoff games.

What will Cowan, a native of Strathroy, take from the camp and back down the 401 as he prepares for his second full season in the OHL?

“Just the pro habits,” Cowan said. “Waking up early, getting to the rink, getting to bed early, fuelling your body, getting the right amount of sleep. I learned a lot with all the seminars (as well).”

 

[HockeyVirus]

Easton Cowan agitates his way into Maple Leafs' good books at development camp

Easton Cowan, the Maple Leafs' first-round pick in 2023, made good initial first steps with the organization at development camp this week.

torontosun.com

Never mind that the Maple Leafs went off the board when they chose Easton Cowan in the first round of the 2023 National Hockey League draft last month.

The 18-year-old forward with the London Knights proved he belonged during the past several days at the Leafs’ development camp at the Ford Performance Centre. He was picked 28th by the Leafs in Nashville after few mock drafts had him going in the first round.

“Easton came in and had a really good week,” Leafs assistant general manager, player development, Hayley Wickenheiser said on Saturday following the scrimmage that brought the camp to an end.

“I like the way he plays the game, with a lot of passion and energy and agitating. Coming in, there’s a lot of attention (because he’s) your highest draft pick.”

Cowan played on a line with a couple of the Leafs’ higher-end prospects, Nicholas Moldenhauer and Ty Voit, and helped create more than a few offensive opportunities for Team White during the scrimmage.

Cowan will spend the summer training and skating in London with an eye toward dominating in the Ontario Hockey League next season. He had 53 points (20 goals and 33 assists) in 68 games in 2022-23, following that with 21 points in 20 playoff games.

What will Cowan, a native of Strathroy, take from the camp and back down the 401 as he prepares for his second full season in the OHL?

“Just the pro habits,” Cowan said. “Waking up early, getting to the rink, getting to bed early, fuelling your body, getting the right amount of sleep. I learned a lot with all the seminars (as well).”

Real gud pro

 

[Stephen]

To me a worrisome pick .. bottom line another small guy with a SHORT stride .. his intangibles are largely good - hits, scores, makes plays, has had skills, has hockey sense and plays in toughest league da O ... he will have GREAT numbers with Knights next year so everyone going to get really excited .. like i said small guy in a big mans league with a short STRIDE .. gents strides don't change much and this is not a tweaking thing it is fundamental

Even as a raw OHL player he looks like a classic pepperpot, low center of gravity type guy who can motor and get into traffic than a "small guy" perimeter skill player.

 

[Mess]

To me a worrisome pick .. bottom line another small guy with a SHORT stride .. his intangibles are largely good - hits, scores, makes plays, has had skills, has hockey sense and plays in toughest league da O ... he will have GREAT numbers with Knights next year so everyone going to get really excited .. like i said small guy in a big mans league with a short STRIDE .. gents strides don't change much and this is not a tweaking thing it is fundamental

He wears size 13 skates and was among the younger players drafted.

There is still potential for growth spurt here to reach 6' and play at +185 lbs IMO

 

[Stand Witness]

He wears size 13 skates and was among the younger players drafted.

There is still potential for growth spurt here to reach 6' and play at +185 lbs IMO

Don’t skate sizes usually fit smaller than shoe size?

Jesus lol

 

[Larcos_Unal]

Real gud pro

Yeah but can he make a good list of lazy teammates?

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

Couple thoughts:

1. Thinking back on the draft, I think Molendyk was their guy. All the discussions of trading back happened after he was picked.

2. It feels like our amateur scouting really targets these "projects" because they have such a good developmental team. Seems that they target guys with high hockey IQ but no tools. I don't know about others on this board but I think that this is a flawed approach.

3. I wonder if Brad Treliving completely re-hauls the amateur scouting department. It seems like each of the past regimes has been quite dogged in their philosophy. Id rather we draft a wide variety of player than zero on a specific player.

I find it so ironic that when Dubas got hired he kept shitting on the "old guard" for being dogmatic about certain types of players and then he went and did the same thing except for the fact the ones he wants are usually undersized and not wanted by anybody else. Sometimes when nobody wants the players you want...it isn't an inefficiency on their part...but on your part for wanting them too much.

 

[Mess]

Don’t skate sizes usually fit smaller than shoe size?

Jesus lol

No player was as finicky about his equipment as defenseman Paul Coffey. None wore tighter skates, either. Coffey, perhaps the smoothest skating defenseman in NHL history, had a shoe size of 9 but wore size 6 skates.

To watch Paul Coffey skate in his prime was to witness artistry of the highest order.

It seemed effortless, a man zooming up the ice, attaining top speed in two or three strides, swerving to elude opponents like a kid speeding downhill on a skateboard. All this while shoehorning his size 9 feet into size 6 skates, the smaller boots providing better feel and improved control on the ice.

The second-highest point-scoring defenceman of all time (to Ray Bourque), In order to get that strong push-off, when Coffey entered the NHL, he famously jammed his feet into a pair of skates two sizes too small, like the Grinch’s heart but with better results. With his foot slipping inside his size 8,

 

[Leafshater67]

I don’t think 5’10 and 180 pounds at 17 years old is really all that small, do you? I mean, our toughest forward last year was 5’10 Acciari. There are tons of 5’10 nhlers. It’s not like he’s 5’7 or something.

Short doesn’t = small though. Acciari is like 215 pounds at 5’10 and plays a pretty tough game.

Mot knocking Cowen’s game and I hope he works out but the leafs have a metric ton of small forwards they’ve drafted in the Dubas run that haven’t done anything. They have no size up front or snarl on the back end yet keep making these picks. I was really hoping they’d land Musty tbh.

I find it so ironic that when Dubas got hired he kept shitting on the "old guard" for being dogmatic about certain types of players and then he went and did the same thing except for the fact the ones he wants are usually undersized and not wanted by anybody else. Sometimes when nobody wants the players you want...it isn't an inefficiency on their part...but on your part for wanting them too much.

He’s the smartest guy in the room and he proved it with his drafting… lol.

He went for the home run, overlooked gem every single time instead of drafting either by need or drafting the best player available. Awful.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

He wears size 13 skates and was among the younger players drafted.

There is still potential for growth spurt here to reach 6' and play at +185 lbs IMO

my issue is today he won't be able to create separation in pro hockey .. but that is promising .. maybe he has not stopped growing yet . a little longer leg and a little power power/weight and maybe he will skate with NHL level speed .. lets hope

 

[Clark4Ever]

Best case scenario is he develops into a Darcy Tucker type forward for us, which wouldn't be too shabby at all.

 

[Racer88]

Yup. Let’s only draft players from London. What an amazing strategy.


Dale Hunter is the lord god of hockey and we must follow his orders

Ya it sounds like a bias against London knights

 

[hockeywiz542]

Cowan, Maple Leafs prospect, has 'pretty cool' NHL family link to McCarty | NHL.com

Forward, No. 28 pick in 2023 Draft, is cousin of former 4-time Cup winner with Red Wings

www.nhl.com

TORONTO -- Easton Cowan may not look physically imposing, standing 5-foot-11 and weighing 170 pounds, but his style of play suggests a fearlessness that evidently runs in his family.

The 18-year-old forward prospect, selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs with the No. 28 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, shares the same great grandparents as Darren McCarty, one of the most rugged players of his generation, a veteran of 758 NHL games and four-time Stanley Cup winner with the Detroit Red Wings.

"He was a Detroit Red Wing and I'm trying to be a Toronto Maple Leaf so we're a bit different there," Cowan said, "but he was a great player and it's pretty cool I have someone in my family that went that route and played in the NHL."

Cowan was 3 1/2 years old when McCarty played his final NHL game on Nov. 24, 2008. Though he does not remember his cousin playing in person, the native of Strathroy, Ontario, is well aware of the type of game McCarty played.

"My parents are always telling me about him," Cowan said. "I heard he's pretty tough and he's won Cups so he knows how to win, and I want to be known as a guy who can come in, mix it up a bit and put the puck in the net."

Cowan being selected by the Maple Leafs left McCarty looking back at the past, as well as toward the future.

"The cool thing is, could you imagine, I was part of the Red Wings winning the Cup for the first time in 42 years," McCarty said. "Could you imagine if Easton is part of the Toronto Maple Leafs to win that Cup for the first time in a long time?"

 

[hockeywiz542]

Easton Cowan's leap from family barn to Toronto Maple Leafs spotlight

Easton Cowan is working hard this summer to show the Maple Leafs made no mistake in picking the right man for the job

lfpress.com

A month ago, Easton Cowan joined another group of people that will shape his hockey future. Instead of a barn, it was on the arena stage at the NHL draft in Nashville when the Maple Leafs selected him 28th overall.

“I had talked to (Toronto director of amateur scouting) Wes Clark a lot before the draft and I spent the most time with (amateur scout) Chris Roque,” he said. “Brad Treliving was there and everyone had kind words to say. It was cool to spend that moment with them. You meet Brad and they’re all really professional.”

“I’m very excited to be a Leaf.”

...........

Cowan, in particular, heard the backlash. He had been hearing in the weeks leading up to the draft that if the Leafs had not taken him, there were several teams right behind ready for the chance.

“People want to call it a reach, they can call it a reach,” he said. “It’s their opinion and it is what it is. They don’t think I’m that good, so be it. It’s not my problem. I’m just going to focus on myself and try to stay positive. You’re in those lights now, so people will hate on whatever you do in life. That’s what it comes down to now, so I use it as fuel. I kind of laugh it off.”

“I’m going to do what I love to do and that’s compete, have fun and try to win.”

Cowan has humble goals for the fall. He will play in the NHL rookie tournament with the Leafs and is hoping to earn an invite to main camp.

Knights fans would love to see him skate at some point on a Toronto line with former London stars Mitch Marner and Max Domi, but that’s still a long way down the road.

“I’m going to work toward playing in an exhibition game and get into that speed,” he said, “but if it doesn’t happen, then it doesn’t. The Leafs have a plan for me and I’ve got to trust that, just like I did for the Knights. I’ve got goals I want to achieve this summer and during the season with the Knights.”

“I want to be in my best shape and ready to go for the home opener Sept. 29 against the Niagara IceDogs.”