Maple Leafs’ Easton Cowan records 1st NHL goal vs. Flyers

Cowan was clearly elated and mobbed by his teammates upon scoring, while the bench celebrated wildly. The 20-year-old is the organization’s top-ranked prospect and a pillar of the future going forward, along with Matthew Knies.

Entering Saturday’s game, Cowan recorded three assists in eight games. He was given an opportunity to play on the first line with Knies and Auston Matthews and made the most of it, as the line generated strong underlying numbers and shot production at 5-on-5.

Cowan was The Leafs Nation’s top-ranked prospect this summer and he’s been one of the team’s best 12 forwards to open the season. He’s coming off a tour-de-force major junior career with the London Knights, where he won Memorial Cup MVP in his final game. Cowan has been fearless through his rookie season, while extending plays in the offensive zone, blocking shots and displaying strong hockey intelligence.

“I think he’s got really good, five-foot, ten-foot play,” Matthews said of Cowan’s game on October 16. He moves the puck and then he moves himself. And I think just he’s a really cerebral player. He’s obviously not the biggest guy, but just think the way he’s able to think the game, you know, has made him the elite kind of player that he’s playing, growing up and transitioning.”

It’s a tremendous accomplishment for Cowan, and it may be a relief, as he’s certainly generated plenty of scoring chances through the opening month of the year, while establishing himself as a core part of the team.