Maple Leafs Prospect Roundup: Cowan’s debut, hot starts for Holinka and Hopkins

Cowan was held off the scoresheet, and the Leafs were unable to come away with the two points, but the first line carried the play when they were on the ice, and he was a big part of it. With Matthews, Knies, and Cowan on the ice together, the Leafs outshot the Red Wings 10-0, out-attempted them 16-5, controlled 75.2% of the expected goals, and Matthews landed a season-high eight shots on goal on 14 attempts. Cowan played just over 14 minutes in his debut, including a brief look at the end of a power play with the second unit, with William Nylander spelling him for the odd shift alongside Matthews and Knies at even strength.

Despite being held without a point, Cowan’s vision and passing skill were evident. He moved the puck quickly and with intent, slipping passes under sticks and finding teammates in space to create quality looks. He showed some chemistry with Matthews and Knies, making a handful of smart reads in the offensive zone to maintain possession and keep the cycle going. Cowan didn’t register a shot on goal himself, but his best chance came on a partial break where he did his best to hold off the defender before spinning around and firing a shot that just missed the mark.

Up until Monday’s matinee against the Red Wings, the Leafs had appeared to be bringing Cowan along slowly, but with the way he played, it seems likely that he’ll be in the lineup once again when the Leafs look to get back into the win column against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night. If he is able to keep generating offensive chances and driving play, particularly in Toronto’s top six, Cowan’s time watching from the press box, as well as his time as the focal point of the Maple Leafs Prospect Roundup, could be nearing it’s end.

Notes from the rest of the prospect pool:

• The Marlies began their 2025-26 regular season over the weekend, splitting a two-game set with the Rochester Americans. Artur Akhtyamov got the start in Friday’s season opener, allowing four goals on 26 shots in a 4-3 loss, with Borya Valis scoring the first two goals of his pro career. Jacob Quillan notched a pair of assists, while Luke Haymes added a helper of his own. Dennis Hildeby was between the pipes for Saturday’s rematch, and he stopped 32 of the 33 shots he faced to lead the Marlies to a 4-1 victory. Ryan Tverberg scored his first goal of the season, while Quillan added another assist and William Villeneuve picked up his first point after a breakout season in 2024-25.

• Ben Danford rejoined the Oshawa Generals, getting into three games this past week. He launched seven shots on goal in his season debut but was held scoreless in a 3-1 victory over Sarnia, had a rough outing where he finished -3 in a 3-0 loss to Flint on Saturday, and registered his first point of the season in Monday’s overtime win against Windsor.

• The Kingston Frontenacs blew out the Peterborough Petes by a score of 9-1 on Friday night, and Leafs prospect Tyler Hopkins had his fingerprints all over the game. He fired eight shots on goal, scored once at even strength, once shorthanded, and added two assists. The OHL season is still young, but Hopkins has gotten off to a great start with eight points through seven games, and he is well on his way to surpassing his numbers from a season ago.

• 2024 fifth-round pick Miroslav Holinka has been hot to start the WHL season, and his best game thus far came in a 6-2 win over Lethbridge on Monday night. Holinka finished with seven shots on goal, getting on the board with a pair of goals and three assists, bringing him up to seven goals and four assists through just six games. He had a solid rookie campaign in the WHL a season ago with 45 points in 47 games, and he looks to have taken a significant step to begin the 2025-26 season.

• Victor Johansson had a fantastic 2024-25 season in Sweden’s J20 ranks, and after scoring two goals in just his second J20 game of the 2025-26 season, he was loaned to IK Oskarshamn of HockeyAllsvenskan in Sweden’s second-tier professional league. Through two games with Oskarshamn, Johansson is averaging about 13:30 of ice time, and he has registered an assist in each game. If he is able to continue producing at that level, he could see extended time with Leksands in the SHL as the season progresses.
• The Michigan Wolverines picked up a pair of wins over Providence on the weekend, with Nick Moldenhauer tallying a couple of assists in Friday’s 5-1 victory. The 2022 third-rounder had just 10 points in 29 games as a sophomore in 2024-25, but he has gotten off to a good start in his junior year with a goal and two assists through four games playing on Michigan’s second line.

• Sam McCue put together an impressive OHL campaign in 2024-25 after being selected by the Leafs in the seventh round of the draft. His heavy style of play and net-driven game allowed him to break out for 36 goals in 55 games between Owen Sound and Flint, and building off of that could put him in line for an entry-level contract at the end of this season. It has been a bit of a slower start for McCue with his new club in Brantford, but he notched his second goal of the season in an 8-5 win over Ottawa on Sunday, bringing him to four points in seven games.

• Harry Nansi, a fifth-round pick of the Leafs in last summer’s draft, has gotten off to a fantastic start with Owen Sound in the OHL. He has been held off the scoresheet just twice in eight games to start the season, with a pair of goals and eight assists on the ledger thus far. Nansi’s skating is a work in progress, but his size and raw skill have allowed him to find success early in the OHL season.

Statistics from EliteProspects.com & Evolving-Hockey.com