In the latest episode of Talking Hockey Sense, NHL analyst and host Chris Peters shares his insight about the Toronto Maple Leafs’ first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. That young player is Easton Cowan.
When the Maple Leafs chose him, he was one of the biggest surprise choices of the first round. At first, selecting Cowan left fans and hockey experts a bit confused. No one had him that high on the list of prospects. However, he was exactly the player the Maple Leafs wanted.
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Is Cowan a Diamond in the Rough?
In the video below, Peters acknowledged that he had Cowan ranked 70th on his prospect list. However, several teams, including Toronto, highly valued the young forward. The attraction was Cowan’s standout performance during the playoffs as well as the second half of his season with the London Knights.
Those two things impressed at least a number of the NHL scouts. Although he’s only 5-foot-10, Cowan plays bigger than some of the other prospects. He has a motor. His tenacity and hard work are off the charts, and that’s what helped some of the scouts see him as a viable earlier prospect.
Toronto’s Shallow Draft Moved Cowan Higher Up the List
Going into the Draft, the Maple Leafs had a unique challenge. They only had three picks: #28, #150, and #185. Given their limited choices, the pressure was on the team to make the most of its early pick.
They knew they wanted Cowan wherever he might be. They were also pretty sure he would not last until #150. So, although he was ranked lower when the Maple Leafs’ time came, they chose him as their draft pick.
Cowan Was an Unconventional Choice
Peters confesses that Cowan’s selection was a bit off the board for both the scouting community and many hockey insiders. He acknowledged Cowan’s potential and accomplishments; however, he sided with the consensus. He would not have been the team’s expected choice this early in the draft.
Nonetheless, Cowan showed up strong at the Maple Leafs development camp and put some of those fears to bed. He had a pretty strong camp and took advantage of his first opportunity to prove himself in front of the team’s coaching staff. The word was that he rose to the occasion and displayed the skills that made his early selection seem more logical.
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Cowan Has a Promising Future
The fact that he was a surprise pick at #28 is not a criticism of Cowan’s abilities. He’s a talented young prospect. Now, he has to carry the expectations that come from being a first-round pick.
Interestingly, had Cowan played all season like he did during his strong second half, probably no one would have blinked. Now, of course, he has a chance to develop the skills that the Maple Leafs scouts believe were there all along.
Can he come in and carve out a successful career with the Maple Leafs over the next few seasons?
The Bottom Line
As it stands, the Maple Leafs made a bold and surprising move by selecting Cowan as their first-round pick. Some might question the decision; however, it shows the strength of the team’s belief in Cowan’s potential.
That potential lies in the dedication and drive he’s shown on the ice. Cowan now will have to build on the opportunity he has and try to prove his worth. Can he show why he was the player the Maple Leafs desired enough to pick him about fifty players higher than many scouts had him on their depth charts?
So far, so good with Cowan. His brief time with the team suggests that he comes as promised. He’s a driven, hard-nosed young guy with skill.
Now, how far can he progress? Can he fulfill the promise the team believes he has as a first-round pick?
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gcmgome
July 29, 2023 at 8:07 am
Brad Treliving came out afterwards and said that he had tried to trade down from #28 but could not find any takers. His plan seemed to be to risk Cowen still being on the board at around the #40th pick (The presumed vicinity of the Leafs’ 1st pick after trading down).
When they were unable to trade down, they did not want to lose their alleged “plan A” targeted player and took him at #28. After making this pick, they seemed to go into media spin mode and alluded to finding out that Cowen was on the list of other teams in the early 2nd round, forcing them to pull the trigger.
In any event, this type of pick illustrates the difficulty of determining if 18 year old kids have the tools to grow their game and mature enough physically, within an almost rigid five year time span, to become NHL players.
Only time will tell of this pick was folly.
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