Easton Cowan ‘has Leafs fan-favourite written all over him’

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Ryan Pyette  •  Postmedia Community

Revealed Jan 25, 2024  •  3 minute learn

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LONDON ,Ont. — Easton Cowan is enjoying his greatest hockey as a London Knight.

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That comes on the heels of admitting he struggled to search out his recreation with the medal-less Canadian world junior squad final month.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs’ 2023 first-round decide (twenty eighth total) has 19 targets and 36 factors in 30 video games, and has already eclipsed final season’s 53-point rookie output, which took 68 video games to provide.

He ranks second to Philadelphia Flyers third-rounder Denver Barkey (64 factors) in workforce scoring, however extra importantly, is making a distinction within the Knights’ season-best 14-game win streak.

The expansion in his recreation has been famous by a minimum of one NHL scout.

“Cowan has a number of methods to play,” stated the scout, who requested anonymity. “The factors are a giant bonus however I’m certain Toronto thought it was getting a high-energy participant who would enhance offensively. I believe he’s an offensive play-driver and he has actually taken a step this 12 months.

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“Essentially the most thrilling factor about Easton Cowan is his recreation simply appears to get higher. He went from enjoying on London’s prime line final 12 months with (Ryan) Winterton and Barkey to changing into ‘The Man’. ”

The scout stated one of the best viewings of Cowan this season have been whereas enjoying within the center with Finnish winger Kasper Halttunen — a giant, bodily shooter. Cowan has a knack for figuring out when to get somebody the puck and does it at excessive velocity.

“I believe I can play anyplace within the lineup,” Cowan stated. “Carry that recreation with the hounding mindset and create turnovers off of it. I really feel it’s been serving to me out not too long ago and whoever you’re on the market with on a line, everyone has that hockey sense.

“It’s been actually good these days and while you work laborious defensively, it results in offensive probabilities. I need that good 200-foot method as a result of that interprets to the subsequent degree. I need to put up factors and produce for my workforce but additionally shut down (the opposition) for my workforce, too.”

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It’s a singular set of expertise.

“He has some fourth-line attributes however performs at a first- or second-line degree,” the scout stated. “He has Leafs fan-favourite written throughout him. He’s so energetic, however he’s not a fourth-line wind-up toy. He is aware of his strengths — velocity and considering the sport — and performs to them. I hate to say it however Knights followers would possibly need to watch him rather a lot this 12 months as a result of I believe he would possibly play within the NHL subsequent season.”

The powerhouse Knights want to solidify their maintain on prime spot total within the Ontario Hockey League standings.

“We’re a workforce,” Cowan, the 18-year-old from Mt. Brydges stated. “That explains what we’re doing rather well. We’re all pulling the rope the identical method and all of us simply need to preserve enjoying and successful hockey video games.

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“It’s much like final 12 months. We had a extremely shut workforce and I believe we’re studying from that rather a lot. We’re displaying the younger guys what it takes to win.”

Final Friday on the Aud in Kitchener, Cowan’s effort to tie it with a short-handed objective within the second-period despatched a message to each side. This wasn’t going to end up the way in which the Rangers wished.

One of many themes of the two-game set with Kitchener and the blowout win over Saginaw two weeks in the past was that London has some gamers which can be very tough for anyone to defend.

They tackle the Peterborough Petes on Friday (7 p.m.) on the Budweiser Gardens in a rematch of final spring’s OHL closing.

rpyette@postmedia.comX: @ryanatlfpress

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