Easton Cowan vs. Nick Robertson a storyline to watch heading into 2025-26

Heading into the 2025-26 NHL season, there’s going to be plenty of storylines to follow once training camp opens for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The internal competition between Easton Cowan and Nick Robertson will be one that could wind up being the most entertaining of them all. With the way the Maple Leafs are constructed heading into camp, there’s only a few spots open among the Maple Leafs’ forward group, which means, it could be a long shot to see both Cowan and Robertson in the lineup on opening night. The two play a very similar game, and head coach Craig Berube is going to have to get creative if both wingers show well in camp and throughout preseason, as the open spots are limited with how the current roster is stacked up.

Let’s start with Cowan. The Maple Leafs’ top prospect has accomplished everything he could of throughout his junior hockey career. From personal, to team accolades, Cowan appears ready to make the next step, and while his offensive abilities aren’t going to be questioned, Berube will be watching closely to see how Cowan’s playing without the puck on his stick. If the 20-year-old is capable of being a 200-foot player, that can forecheck hard, and physically, win battles along the wall against some players close to double his age, the 6-foot winger will have a good chance to check all of the necessary boxes off to crack the lineup for the season opener.

Cowan can fly, he has great speed, he has a great motor, always battling hard every shift. The natural hockey sense is off all the charts, and his ability to be a playmaker might actually be one of his more underrated traits of his game. The thing is, as a potential third-liner for the Leafs, Berube won’t care much about how much Cowan’s name appears on the scoresheet, and more so if he’s able to play sound defensive hockey. If Cowan wants to get a leg up on Robertson within the depth chart, he may have to expand his game to kill penalties as well. With his speed and instincts, there’s certainly some baseline skills which he possess to be effective shorthanded. It’s all going to come down to trust, and opportunity, and that’s something he’ll have to win over from Berube. Just ask Robertson.

Robertson had a very up-and-down season last year with the Leafs. The 5-foot-9 winger scored 15 goals in 69 games, both career highs, but where Robertson took strides in his game were on the defensive side of the puck, and his physicality. Berube challenged Robertson to get in the mix more, become more physical every shift, and Robertson took the challenge to heart. He landed 79 hits last season, double the amount of any other year, and he showed that he wasn’t going to back down any shift, regardless of who he was up against.

Some of Robertson’s best hockey last season came playing with Max Domi and Bobby McMann, however, with the way the current Leafs’ roster is situated, Domi could wind up playing first-line right-wing minutes, meanwhile, McMann will also be in the mix to push Robertson and Cowan down the depth chart. Here’s how the Leafs could wind up starting the year:

Knies, Matthews, Domi
Maccelli, Tavares, Nylander
McMann, Roy, Joshua
Lorentz, Laughton, Jarnkrok
Robertson, Kampf, Cowan

Needless to say, the Maple Leafs are crowded up front. There’s also been talks about interest in free-agent Jack Roslovic, who could push Domi down the depth chart and disrupt the entire lineup. In Roy and Joshua, the Leafs added two big bodies, Roy being 6-foot-4, Joshua being 6-foot-3. It was part of the DNA change Brad Treliving was looking to accomplish, which doesn’t necessarily bode well for Robertson and Cowan, who many consider undersized. Yes, there’s been some rumblings about Treliving trying to make a move ahead of training camp, but for now, those talks seem far fetched in fantasy land considering current trade values.

One scenario that could materialize over the next month or so would be the Leafs give Robertson a chance to crack the top six, and wind up moving him ahead of the waiver deadline before opening night. He just signed a one-year contract and avoid arbitration, but let’s not fool ourselves, that doesn’t mean his future in Toronto is set in stone. Cowan however, appears to be the polar opposite. Treliving made a slew of moves ahead of last season’s trade deadline, and dealt Fraser Minten, two first-round picks, and kept Cowan in the fold. If he didn’t get moved last season, he’s not getting moved because of a roster jam ahead of the new year.

The Cowan vs. Robertson matchup is going to be very entertaining to watch throughout training camp. Two wingers who want to make a name for themselves next season. Two players with similar tendencies, and even similar flaws, so it will be interesting to see how Berube handles their ice time, and their opportunities to crack the Maple Leafs’ opening night.