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Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Easton Cowan (Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images)

Can the Maple Leafs’ Youth Movement Actually Work?

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By The Old Prof | Last updated Nov 5, 2025 10:05 AM ET

There’s a fine line between development and desperation, and right now the Toronto Maple Leafs are walking it. Head coach Craig Berube has turned to Easton Cowan and Nicholas Robertson to fill key roles in the team’s top six — a move that’s both intriguing and controversial. The question hanging over all of this is simple: are the Maple Leafs asking too much, too soon, from two players who are still learning how to be full-time NHLers?

Cowan and Robertson Are Given Big Responsibilities with Little Experience

The hope around Robertson and Cowan is obvious. Both bring energy and a willingness to attack the game. Robertson has the shot and instincts to score; Cowan has the drive and speed that made him a standout in junior. But for all that, neither has proven he can carry the kind of load the Maple Leafs seem ready to hand over.

Robertson’s career to this point has been a carousel of opportunity and setback. He’s been scratched, injured, and repositioned so often that stability itself might be the biggest thing he’s still chasing. Cowan, meanwhile, is less than a dozen games into his NHL career and just scored his first goal.

When you look at what’s being asked — 20-goal potential, special teams minutes, and nightly matchups against the league’s best — it’s easy to see why some fans are uneasy. There’s optimism here, but also a fair bit of risk. Betting on youth is exciting; depending on it is something else entirely.

Is Cowan and Robertson’s Rise a Depth Problem in Disguise?

The truth is that Toronto’s recent lineup experiments might say as much about who isn’t producing as who is. Even with Mitch Marner gone, the forward group once again feels top-heavy. The team has tried to spread the offence, but players like Max Domi and Matias Maccelli haven’t yet found their footing. The bottom six, for all its grit and hustle, isn’t providing much scoring help.

So Berube is doing what coaches do when faced with limited options — moving the pieces around until something fits. The result is that two of the least experienced players on the roster have been forced into the most demanding roles. If it works, Berube looks like a genius. If it doesn’t, it only deepens the sense that Toronto’s supporting cast just isn’t deep enough to compete with the league’s elite teams.

Cowan and Robertson Might Be More of a Feel-Good Story Than a Finished Product

It’s not hard to see the human side of this. Cowan’s rise from junior standout to NHL regular is a feel-good story, especially with a mentor like John Tavares guiding him through the early days. Robertson, too, has worked hard to stay in the mix after being dangled as trade bait and often overlooked. For both, this stretch is a test of what they can become, not just what they are.

Nick Robertson, Toronto Maple Leafs (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

But it’s also fair to wonder whether this moment reflects confidence or necessity. The Maple Leafs didn’t add a proven top-six winger in the offseason, and the internal replacements haven’t worked out. For now, Berube’s hand has been forced — and Cowan and Robertson have been handed an opportunity that might be as challenging as it is rewarding.

Maple Leafs Fans Need Patience and Realistic Expectations

Every fan wants to see young players succeed, but development is rarely linear. Chemistry takes time, especially in a lineup that changes nightly. There’s a case to be made that these lines deserve some breathing room, that Cowan and Robertson should be allowed to play through mistakes rather than be rotated in and out of favour. If the Maple Leafs can resist their usual impatience and let the experiment run, they might find a spark worth keeping.

Still, the balance is delicate. Push too hard, and you risk breaking confidence. Wait too long, and you risk wasting another season of Auston Matthews’ prime. Somewhere between those poles lies the answer. Now, Berube’s challenge as a coach is to find it before the pressure mounts again.

For now, Cowan and Robertson represent hope and uncertainty in equal measure. They could be the start of something new, or reminders of how thin this roster really is. Either way, the question lingers: are the Maple Leafs building something here, or just asking too much from two players still trying to find their place?