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

[Stephen]

Apparently, he was in our top 15. Deary me.

The previous regime was quite the master class in earnest, cutesy quotables. Bleh.

 

[baton elevated]

I don't think the Leafs were interested in trading back at all. This is the player they wanted all along.

 

[uncleben]

So just random, unverified lists? I had him at 21/22, so in my eyes, quite the steal.

Those aren't random unverified lists, those are high profile insiders, professional scouting organizations, and established outlets that have been doing this for years, with their own staff dedicated to watching the players, analyzing their profiles, observing patterns, and crunching analytics.

NHL Central Scouting had him ranked 51st for North American skaters (so you can expect another 15-30 Europeans and/or goalies to go before him too, based on that.)


I keep a spreadsheet of aggregate rankings I can share with you if you'd like. The highest I saw him was 21 and the lowest was 175. But the average was ~66.1. I personally had him at 73 on my list with a potential drop to 40.


I actually quite like the player. He was quite the riser in the late rankings, had a good second half of the season, good combine, and has room to grow.

I'm just saying, it's pretty fair to say the Leafs took him above where most people anticipated him to go - both the professionals in the field and random users, alike.

 

[Fonzieleaf]

I guess the Leafs brass knew that there were higher ranked players to be taken at 28. But, they obviously were very high on this guy and they knew he wouldn't be available at the 5th round. Probably tried to trade down at around the time Nashville was picking at 24th with no takers. So they had no choice but to take that player at 28.

 

[93LEAFS]

London Knights season ticket holder:

Kid has an insane motor, he just never stops. Gets in on the forecheck like crazy and can really prolong zone time and create havoc. Has enough skill to complement top players.

Really drags his team into the battle with infectious energy.

Really good around the net finding pucks, very transferable skill he has.

The trouble with scouting the London Knights is they almost go out of their way to slowly develop prospects. Easton is a rookie due to this, he’s quite inexperienced as a NHL draft pick. Expect a ton more trust, usage, opportunity next year, huge chance for a massive boom in both offense and responsibility for the Knights.

Still a shocking pick. Not sure he has the upside of a 1sr rounder and that’s before mentioning he’s undersized. Really easy kid to root for. For what it’s worth, he’s a great kid and really, really well liked by the community.

I'm expecting this board to be head over heels with him when he gets the typical veteran Knights player points bump, and not much will have actually changed as far as projections going forward. As said, with the Knights it is rare for a kid to be at the very top of the line-up at 17. In recent years it's basically limited to Marner, Juolevi and Domi off the top of my head (M. Tkachuk if you count late-birthdays), even Bo Horvat while in an important role was the 2nd line center I believe in his draft year, and he's a guy whose stock I remember jumping up due to his playoff performance.

 

[tony135420]

I saw "Cowan a Leaf" and I immediately had palpitations.

 

[DragoGrizzly]

London Knights season ticket holder:

Kid has an insane motor, he just never stops. Gets in on the forecheck like crazy and can really prolong zone time and create havoc. Has enough skill to complement top players.

Really drags his team into the battle with infectious energy.

Really good around the net finding pucks, very transferable skill he has.

The trouble with scouting the London Knights is they almost go out of their way to slowly develop prospects. Easton is a rookie due to this, he’s quite inexperienced as a NHL draft pick. Expect a ton more trust, usage, opportunity next year, huge chance for a massive boom in both offense and responsibility for the Knights.

Still a shocking pick. Not sure he has the upside of a 1sr rounder and that’s before mentioning he’s undersized. Really easy kid to root for. For what it’s worth, he’s a great kid and really, really well liked by the community.

Thank you for this. Do you think he has any chance to make the Canada world junior team next year?

 

[93LEAFS]

Those aren't random unverified lists, those are high profile insiders, professional scouting organizations.

NHL Central Scouting had him ranked 51st for North American skaters (so you can expect another 15-30 Europeans and/or goalies to go before him too, based on that.)


I keep a spreadsheet of aggregate rankings I can share with you if you'd like. The highest I saw him was 21 and the lowest was 175. But the average was ~66.1. I personally had him at 73 on my list with a potential drop to 40.


I actually quite like the player. He was quite the riser in the late rankings, had a good second half of the season, good combine, and has room to grow.

I'm just saying, it's pretty fair to say the Leafs took him above where most people anticipated him to go - both the professionals in the field and random users, alike.

Central Scouting's issue in this case releases their list way too early, and it cut off the part where his stock started rocketing up.

While not as extreme the difference between where they ranked Knies, and where we got him. Hockey Prospect has been doing a strong job for years, and they loved this kid, and we got him right where they had him.

 

[acrobaticgoalie]

Reminds me a bit of Mike Richards. That would be unreal. It’s a reach based on where he was ranked but you never know.

Hope so. Richards in his prime was one of my all time favorites

 

[Stephen]

Those aren't random unverified lists, those are high profile insiders, professional scouting organizations.

NHL Central Scouting had him ranked 51st for North American skaters (so you can expect another 15-30 Europeans and/or goalies to go before him too, based on that.)


I keep a spreadsheet of aggregate rankings I can share with you if you'd like. The highest I saw him was 21 and the lowest was 175. But the average was ~66.1. I personally had him at 73 on my list.


I actually quite like the player. He was quite the riser in the late rankings, had a good second half of the season, good combine, and has room to grow.

I'm just saying, it's pretty fair to say the Leafs took him above where most people anticipated him to go - both the professionals in the field and random users, alike.

I guess their lack of 2nd round picks and beyond motivated them to just take the player and lock down what they like, but you do kind of wonder if they weren't excited about anybody else at 28... is it the way they watch hockey as a collective?

 

[acrobaticgoalie]

So for everyone who's down on Cowan, who would you have taken with the Leafs pick at 28 that would seem to be significantly better?

Gulyayev or Heidt would have been my pick at that point

 

[uncleben]

Central Scouting's issue in this case releases their list way too early, and it cut off the part where his stock started rocketing up.

While not as extreme the difference between where they ranked Knies, and where we got him. Hockey Prospect has been doing a strong job for years, and they loved this kid, and we got him right where they had him.

Oh I agree. CSS releases too early
I was just demonstrating these aren't just randos making up numbers

 

[horner]

Thank you for this. Do you think he has any chance to make the Canada world junior team next year?

He is the exact player that Canada usually wins with a gritty non stop energy player on the 4 th line

 

[Nooodles]

One thing that seems strange to me is that Cowan goes before Barkey. From a London perspective Barkey was the better player.

The more i think about this one the more I wish we just went for Cristall

Cristall cant even skate

 

[toddkaz]

Central Scouting's issue in this case releases their list way too early, and it cut off the part where his stock started rocketing up.

While not as extreme the difference between where they ranked Knies, and where we got him. Hockey Prospect has been doing a strong job for years, and they loved this kid, and we got him right where they had him.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Welcome to TOR Easton Cowan:

"He's a wasted pick"
"Could have traded down for this pick"
"5'10" is still too small for what TOR needs"
"Marner/Nylander will punk him"

Goddddddddddammmmnnnnn

 

[BayStBullies]

I haven't read this thread; but, I predict the same thing as usual is happening. People are overreacting to a player they barely knew hours ago and have never watched.

 

[sxvnert]

The smart play was moving down and picking up multiple 2nds/3rds from team with too many to count. Hawks (4) and Wings (3) are loaded with second rounders. We could have easily selected Easton somewhere in the second round.

 

[93LEAFS]

@toddkaz

 

[RoadWarrior]

Have you watched this player at all? He's engaged physically all over the ice.

I was “engaged physically“ in pee wee. That didn’t make me a first round pick.

 

[sxvnert]

So for everyone who's down on Cowan, who would you have taken with the Leafs pick at 28 that would seem to be significantly better?

Goaltender: Michael Hrabal

Michael Hrabal - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Michael Hrabal, 2005-01-20 Praha, CZE Czechia. Most recently in the NCAA with Univ. of Massachusetts. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

 

[RoadWarrior]

I'm expecting this board to be head over heels with him when he gets the typical veteran Knights player points bump, and not much will have actually changed as far as projections going forward. As said, with the Knights it is rare for a kid to be at the very top of the line-up at 17. In recent years it's basically limited to Marner, Juolevi and Domi off the top of my head (M. Tkachuk if you count late-birthdays), even Bo Horvat while in an important role was the 2nd line center I believe in his draft year, and he's a guy whose stock I remember jumping up due to his playoff performance.

So the leafs draft another Accarri. Awesome. But he’s not a legit first rounder.

 

[sxvnert]

@toddkaz

The kid himself assumed he was a second/third rounder given where he was sitting.

 

[Mess]

 

[RoadWarrior]

I haven't read this thread; but, I predict the same thing as usual is happening. People are overreacting to a player they barely knew hours ago and have never watched.

It was just a dumb pick. Not because he’s a lousy player but because it was terrible asset management.