Easton Cowan appears to have made a decision on where he'll play next season
Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan may have just tipped his hand and revealed to fans where he intends to play next season.
Easton Cowan helped the London Knights overcome a 3-0 deficit to the Saginaw Spirit in Sunday's Memorial Cup Final, factoring in on all three London goals to tie the game. Unfortunately, Saginaw scored with less than 30 seconds to go to secure the victory and end the Knights' season in heartbreaking fashion.
The Leafs' 2023 first-round pick led the Memorial Cup with eight points in four games to cap off a phenomenal season that included the OHL Championship and OHL regular season MVP and playoff MVP honours, producing 34 goals and 96 points in 54 games. His Knights record-setting 36-game regular season point streak extended to 42 games in total when you include the playoffs. Cowan also finished the OHL playoffs with 34 points in 18 games.
With the season officially finished, Cowan took a moment to reflect on the season that was with a collage of photos with his London Knights teammates. The caption, though, has fans wondering if he is already committed to one more year of junior hockey in London.
His phrasing, "goodluck to the guys moving on," suggests that Cowan is expecting to return to the Knights next season instead of sticking with the Leafs.
Anything is possible. Last year, we saw 19-year-old Fraser Minten shock the hockey world and earn a spot with the big club out of training camp, leading to a short trial with the Leafs, but given the forward depth the Leafs have within their system already, and the fact that Cowan is still undersized, it is more likely that he will dominate the OHL for another season before making the jump to the pros.
It's an unfortunate situation for Cowan and many other CHL players that are "too good" for their respective leagues, but due to the CBA between the CHL and NHL, are ineligible to play in the AHL to further their development before arriving in the NHL.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 4 | 509 ANSWERS Easton Cowan appears to have made a decision on where he'll play next season How many games will Cowan play for the Leafs next season? | ||
| 0 | 69 | 13.6 % |
| 1-20 | 226 | 44.4 % |
| 21-40+ | 120 | 23.6 % |
| He'll play the whole season in Toronto | 94 | 18.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
