C Easton Cowan - London Knights, OHL (2023, 28th, TOR)

[UED]

Jumpin' Jack Flash: Hughes tops TSN's Top 50 Under-24 players | TSN

Twenty-three year-old Jack Hughes is No. 1 and 19-year-old sophomore Connor Bedard is No. 2 in our 2024-25 ranking of the Top 50 Under-24 players.

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Cowan would have to blow through his ceiling to surpass Edvinsson.

I think they just forgot about him. Pretty unrealistic not to put him in there he should be right there with the top 15.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

Because they left the rest of the offensive options at home.

Who else are they going to give those minutes to? Pinelli? Cataford? Gauthier?

Yeah that's exactly the problem. Guys like Cowan would be better slotted in this lineup if they didn't leave clear top six options like Misa and Sennecke at home. Cowan could still play in the top six but as a skilled energy guy playing off guys like the two aforementioned, he just isn't the guy to drive the bus at this level.

There's too much pressure on Cowan to be more than he is, and that's probably leaking into his decision making with the over aggressive penalty and just not delivering on the level you'd expect based on his junior resume. He should be a key complimentary player and not be shouldering so much of the spotlight on a properly built Team Canada. I sympathize that he's sort of been set up to fail in that sense but still have to say I would have expected more based on the hype that's built over the last year plus. He can be a good pro but I don't see an elite prospect, the Toronto (TSN etc) hype train may be doing him a disservice in that sense.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

Selfish player who wants personal glory more than team glory it seems

 

[LeafsNet]

Selfish player who wants personal glory more than team glory it seems

It’s not his fault that team constructed around him is trash. Guy is literally leading Team Canada in goals and points

 

[Mitch nylander]

Because they left the rest of the offensive options at home.

Who else are they going to give those minutes to? Pinelli? Cataford? Gauthier?

This.

 

[Bender Duster]

Yeah that's exactly the problem. Guys like Cowan would be better slotted in this lineup if they didn't leave clear top six options like Misa and Sennecke at home. Cowan could still play in the top six but as a skilled energy guy playing off guys like the two aforementioned, he just isn't the guy to drive the bus at this level.

There's too much pressure on Cowan to be more than he is, and that's probably leaking into his decision making with the over aggressive penalty and just not delivering on the level you'd expect based on his junior resume. He should be a key complimentary player and not be shouldering so much of the spotlight on a properly built Team Canada. I sympathize that he's sort of been set up to fail in that sense but still have to say I would have expected more based on the hype that's built over the last year plus. He can be a good pro but I don't see an elite prospect, the Toronto (TSN etc) hype train may be doing him a disservice in that sense.

Well said.

 

[Atomos2]

Cowen, Minten, Knies, and Marner have all gotten hate from this tournament because of the team that drafted them. Don’t feed the trolls.

And Rielly too.

But I remember having this exact argument about Marner in 2016. People bitching because Marner and Strome looked bad in the Round Robin tourney and Leaf argument was that they are at least leading the team in scoring.

Funny that @Hale The Villain and @WarriorofTime are at it again.

 

[13to40]

Probably one of the worst individual team Canada performances that I can remember watching last night from Cowan.

He has a lot of maturing to do. I don’t doubt that he will be a solid energy player in the NHL. He definitely has the motor for it.

Discipline will come with age and better coaching too… he’s definitely playing higher up in the line up for team Canada that he should be, but again that’s not his fault, that’s more on the bizarre roster selection.

 

[SirloinUB]

I think He’ll be an nhl player in some capacity but I don’t know how anyone can defend his performance up to this point.

He hasn’t looked very dangerous, dumb penalties/turnovers and selfish play.

It was crazy Hockey Canada left Sennecke off the roster so they could force feed Cowan minutes.

 

[These Are The Days]

This kid better not plan on being as much of a meat head as he was vs USA. That's a short career waiting to happen. Holy shit has he been bad

 

[Epictetus]

Severely disappointing tournament from him. That said, he should be in a 2nd/3rd line role but he's being asked to be among their best scoring players.

 

[TimeZone]

Great value Kadri.

 

[Forlan]

Severely disappointing tournament from him. That said, he should be in a 2nd/3rd line role but he's being asked to be among their best scoring players.

That's right, it's not quite right to demand such a level of play from Cowan

 

[Golden_Jet]

Terrible penalty,
But had a great first assist on the US empty net goal.
Was definitely expecting more from him.

 

[shaner8989]

He hasn’t been great this far. However leads the team in points while playing with garbage.

This team was so poorly constructed. Misa and Sennecke would have both been far superior linemates. Zayne P should be running the PP.

Let’s see how the rest plays out

 

[Andy Dufresne]

It’s not his fault that team constructed around him is trash. Guy is literally leading Team Canada in goals and points

And really really stupid obvious penalties. That's with him getting away with the most obvious dirtiest play of the tournament so far (that i've seen). I'm a biased Canadian homer and i would've given him 5 for the crosscheck to the back of Bium's neck. Just about the dumbest thing he could have done in that exact moment.
Somebody needs to have a word with this kid about the line between useful aggression and pure stupidity, clearly it won't be this coach.

 

[Golden_Jet]

It’s not his fault that team constructed around him is trash. Guy is literally leading Team Canada in goals and points

Well he’s not leading the team in goals, he has 1 lol, like some other players.
He’s just not been good enough, other than the nice assist on the empty net goal for the US.

 

[Fatass]

Well he’s not leading the team in goals, he has 1 lol, like some other players. He’s just not been good enough, other than the nice assist on the empty net goal for the US.

I’m getting Jake Virtanen (from his embarrassment of a junior tournament) vibes from Cowan so far. I think he can be a good player but he’s playing dumb.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

He hasn’t been great this far. However leads the team in points while playing with garbage.

This team was so poorly constructed. Misa and Sennecke would have both been far superior linemates. Zayne P should be running the PP.

Let’s see how the rest plays out

He's not playing with garbage though, he is the garbage others are having to play with.

 

[belair]

It’s not his fault that team constructed around him is trash. Guy is literally leading Team Canada in goals and points

Also the guy who's had plays die on his stick a dozen plus times in each of the games thus far. More concerned about leading the team in shots and goals than he is sustaining OZ pressure and possession, that result in higher quality shots that generally lead to actual goals.

More willing to fire low quality shots into shinpads or into the general vicinity of the goaltender.

It's his fault that he's making countless brain dead plays. And it's the coach's fault that his lack of hockey sense has been continuously exposed in this tournament instead of playing in a secondary role, where he should be behind more skilled forwards like Catton and McKenna.

The team itself is fine, if utilized properly. Everyone on the roster has skill. But throwing the same guys over the boards each game is yielding the same results. And Cowan is the one guy who stands out as a guy that needs his role reduced.

 

[PanniniClaus]

The play at the end, Cowan had every right to expect some mid ice support with 6 players on the ice but the play is a microcosm of the tourney so far. Everyone doing their own thing.. He also wasn't under that much pressure that he needed to make that play.

Quarters with the Czechs.. They either stay out of the box or they lose a QF game on home ice.. when was the last time that happened?

 

[The Expert]

Guy is playing like an idiot. Doesn't move his feet enough, selfish penalties.

 

[Heldig]

Nadeau has looked moderately dangerous. Ritchie has had moments. Haven't seen a single moment where Yager looked threatening in the offensive zone; it's as if he forgot how to play hockey or the Monstars stole his talent.

Cowan is just trying to do way too much. Which should warrant criticism, but Yager should get chastised far more than Cowan IMHO.

While I agree he has not looked dangerous (where is the supposed Yager bomb shot), Yager is one of the few players that has been able to complete a pass. Plus he is playing the 3rd line checking role, dominating on faceoffs and playing PK.

Cowan is talented but a very selfish player.

 

[Heldig]

Terrible penalty,
But had a great first assist on the US empty net goal.
Was definitely expecting more from him.

Lucky he did not get 5 and a game in the 1st period for the senseless stick to the head of Bauim.

 

[leafsfan2point0]

He hasn’t played his best, but If he wasn’t a leaf he wouldn’t be getting nearly the amount of criticism he’s receiving. He was drafted by the team with by far the most haters.