Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan is proving doubters wrong

“What the f— are they smoking?”

That’s what one NHL scout texted me seconds after the Toronto Maple Leafs selected Easton Easton Cowan 28th overall last June. Nobody had him as a first-round pick – NHL Central Scouting listed him as the 51st-best North American prospect, while Daily Faceoff ranked him 78th overall – and, depending on whom you talked to, that was quite generous.

The television cameras should have panned around the building. It was truly a shocking pick at the time.

So how does the one scout feel now?

“Give (Leafs head scout) Wes Clark a raise.”

Opinions have nearly shifted across the board this year, especially after Cowan broke the London Knights’ team point-streak record at 26 games. Cowan has 77 points in 44 games, and he’s on pace to track just below 100 – even after missing time to join Canada’s world junior effort.

The point production isn’t overly surprising. Cowan had a decent rookie season, reflected in the fact he went from 71st to 51st in the NHL’s Central Scouting Rankings. But he came alive in the postseason with nine goals and 21 points in 20 games, marking one of the biggest improvements from anyone in the CHL. For a guy who was playing Jr. B just a season prior, Cowan’s rise has been swift.

From my own viewings, Cowan has a grinder’s mentality to him, and that’s something I like. I don’t think he’s a full-time top-six scorer in the NHL, but he can kill penalties, make smart decisions with the puck, and has a good shot to boot.

Cowan has always been fast, playing the game with as much pace as you’ll find in the OHL. But his decision-making with the puck somewhat trailed behind, and the results never seemed to follow. It seems like everything clicked around halfway through last year, and now he’s finally producing at a high rate. He currently leads all Draft+1 players in the OHL with a 1.75 points-per-game average and sits fifth in points, two spots behind Knights teammate Denver Barkey.

Cowan struggled at the world juniors, playing more of a defensive depth role. He finished the tournament with just one goal – an empty-netter.

“It was extremely underwhelming,” a scout said. “And from watching camp, I was surprised they took him. It allowed a wider audience to see his PK abilities, but that’s about it.”

Since then, though, Cowan hasn’t been left off the scoresheet since returning from Sweden – and his point streak dates back to Nov. 25.

From talking to some scouts, the one thing they’ve noticed is that Cowan keeps growing. Just going off of team data, Cowan went from 5-foot-10 and 171 pounds to 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds over the past year. And some think he’s still growing. You can physically see it now compared to early games a year ago, and he’s starting to figure out how to use his extra mass to his advantage. Cowan still isn’t a big forward, but he plays like one.

“He looks much more physically stronger than I remember,” a scout said after a recent viewing. “He’s not going to overpower a 6-foot-3 defenseman, but he will make their life difficult. He works his a-- off.”

Cowan’s newfound confidence is evident, and the results are there. He can still find himself in situations where he’s trying to do a bit too much with the puck and overplays himself into unforced errors. You know, the things NHL defenders will kill you for. But learning experiences like that are important, especially for a kid taking on more responsibility than ever.

Cowan’s potential as a glue guy who can do a bit of everything is intriguing. It’s unlikely he will slot into a top-six role with Toronto, at least in his first few years. Few forwards do as much at both ends of the ice as Cowan, who always looks like he’s trying to prove himself with his work ethic.

“He’s a coach’s dream,” another scout said. “He’ll lay his body down on the penalty kill on one play and then set a teammate up for a scoring chance at the other end on the next. He does it all.”

Compared to some of the others on the board, I still don’t love the Cowan pick. The upside of someone such as, say, Gavin Brindley or Andrew Cristall still was too much for me to pass up. But Cowan has done so much with and without the puck to validate Toronto’s decision as a Draft+1 player. Cowan’s the best prospect in Toronto’s system – which, notably, is among the worst in the league.

The Leafs don’t need another guy to rival the Core Four – they need scoring depth that can do a bit of everything. Enter Easton Cowan.