Can Easton Cowan’s Heart Lead the Maple Leafs?

For years, the Toronto Maple Leafs have tried to win with skill. They’ve invested heavily in high-end talent, and for stretches, it worked — at least in the regular season. But time and again, that same formula has come up short when it matters most. Now, as the team enters a pivotal offseason, a new question is beginning to emerge: can someone like Easton Cowan be the missing link?

He’s not the biggest player. He wasn’t the most hyped pick. In fact, when the Maple Leafs drafted Cowan, some saw it as a gamble. He hadn’t put up eye-popping numbers in junior, and there were doubts about whether he would ever project as a top-line NHLer. But here’s what we know now — Cowan has something that doesn’t show up easily on draft boards: an engine that won’t quit and a heart built for big moments.

Cowan Is a Playoff Performer with a Relentless Drive

Cowan’s 2024 OHL playoff run with the London Knights tells you everything you need to know about his character. He wasn’t just productive — he was dominant. With 39 points in the postseason, he surpassed his totals from the previous year and broke the Knights’ all-time franchise playoff points record. Across three playoff runs, he has 96 postseason points and a 2.29 points-per-game average in his most recent run, good for 32nd all-time in a single OHL season.

But it’s not just the stats. It’s how he plays.

The pace changed whenever Cowan was on the ice. He drove play. He controlled shifts. He created offense with his vision, his speed, and his confidence. He didn’t just show skill — he showed swagger. The kind that comes from belief. He made risky plays at times, but they weren’t reckless. They were calculated, controlled, and rooted in his ability to process the game under pressure.

Cowan didn’t panic. He didn’t defer. He led.

For Cowan, It’s Not About Size — It’s About Heart

There’s an old cliché in hockey: it’s not the size of the player in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the player. Cowan is the embodiment of that phrase. He’s not going to intimidate physically, but he’ll win puck battles, take contact, and find ways to impact the game shift after shift. His energy and awareness — both offensively and defensively — are well beyond his years.

The Maple Leafs need players like Cowan. Not just in the bottom six, but at the core of their identity. Players who step up in big games, refuse to be outworked, and treat high-pressure moments not as threats but as opportunities. That’s what separates playoff winners from regular-season stars.