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Elite Performance trainer astounded by Easton Cowan's unbelievable growth this summer

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Dean Chaudhry
September 8, 2024 (10:27)

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Toronto Maple Leafs' forward Easton Cowan celebrating a goal being scored on home ice.

Photo credit: John E. Sokolowksi - USA Today Sports

Trainer Trevor Williamson sat down with TSN's Mark Masters to discuss Easton Cowan's off-season training, how much better he's gotten since last year, and his quest to the NHL.

One of the many talking points heading into training camp this year is whether or not the Toronto Maple Leafs are going to have Easton Cowan start the regular season with the big club.

There are certainly avenues where that is a strong possibility and just based on some of the things his trainer mentioned to Masters during their interview, he seems poised to make his NHL debut in 2024-25.

Williamson revealed to TSN that disappointing defeats at the World Juniors and the Memorial Cup last year have really fuelled Cowan and motivated him to be better.

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"You could see it on his face, he was rattled, like so sad about, but also he used that every single day. It was kind of like an ongoing joke throughout the summer where he would be like, little inches every single day are going to make the difference of that and he used that for fuel so bad. Like so bad. He wants to win, he hated how he lost - we all did - but you could tell that deeply motivated him."

Williamson then went into detail on their training regiment and what he focused on specifically for Cowan:

"I guess just trying to get him ready for the pros, in the sense of him getting him a little bit bigger, like more size and more muscle, that's always what the NHL teams want but maintaining that speed, that power, that agility, so a lot of emphasis of putting on some good solid muscle but getting faster, quicker, more agile, staying at his top speed, and just really making him as efficient as possible that way."

Based on some of the information that Williamson laid out, Masters asked the question that every Leafs fan wanted to hear: what are his expectations for Cowan this upcoming season:

"I think he's gonna be phenomenal, like this might have been his best off-season yet. He worked so hard, he's gotten way stronger, his speed, his power, everything has gone up, like he's crushing it. He knows what it means to be a pro, his recovery routine, like seeing our physiotherapist for prevention work all the time, he's in the gym for like 40 minutes before he works out, he stays after.

I think he's gonna do incredible, no matter where he ends up, he's going to make the most of it but I think he can do better this year than he did last year, for sure. For sure."

Masters then asked Williamson if he believes Cowan is ready for the NHL and his response mirrored the entire interview:

"I think he probably could, it's so hard to guess and say where he's going to end up but just the size that he's put on, he's definitely capable, his maturity is there, his thought process is there, his attitude his 100% there, and his work ethic is going to be with the top guys on the team, like no matter where he ends up. I think he definitely could, he's ready."

It should come as no surprise that Cowan is NHL-ready after the season he just had with the London Knights in the OHL last year. After two devastating defeats, he entered the summer more motivated than ever before and he's come out of it poised to make an impact this year as he took all the necessary steps to put himself ahead heading into camp.

Source for the interview: TSN.ca'He's ready': An inside look at Cowan's quest to make the Leafs

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POLL
8 SEPTEMBRE \| 198 ANSWERS Elite Performance trainer astounded by Easton Cowan's unbelievable growth this summer Does Easton Cowan make the big club outright from training camp this year?
Yes, he's ready to make an impact today	156	78.8 %
No, he should develop in the OHL for one more year	42	21.2 %
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