Easton Cowan has wasted no time making himself impossible to ignore in Toronto.
Two games into the 2026-27 season, the Maple Leafs winger is already leading the team with a goal and three points, and he has done it while looking as comfortable as any young player could hope to look this early. In his sophomore season, Cowan has come out flying, and the Leafs have gotten exactly the kind of impact they’ve been searching for from a homegrown piece who can fit alongside their established stars.
The production is only part of the story. Cowan has been driving play in a way that jumps off the page.
According to Evolving-Hockey, when the 21-year-old is on the ice, Toronto has 61.1 percent of the shots on goal, 59.38 percent of the unblocked shot attempts, 58.78 percent of the raw shot attempts and 72.15 percent of the expected goals share. That’s the kind of early-season control that turns a promising player into a serious lineup problem for opponents.
He’s helping the Leafs tilt the ice, win pucks back and create chances, and he’s also finishing.
Whether it’s his awareness in open ice or the way he battles along the boards to reclaim possession, Cowan has been making the right kind of noise. He’s not just riding along with stronger linemates - he’s actively driving the action.
That’s why any talk of moving him feels dead on arrival right now. Cowan has had his name in trade rumours before as general manager John Chayka keeps hunting for roster upgrades, but that chatter doesn’t line up with what Toronto is getting from him at the moment. He’s still on his rookie deal through next year, and the way he’s started this season, a 60-point finish is very much in play if he keeps going at this pace.
For a team that has been trying to find a young player who can complement its stars, Cowan is making a strong case that the answer is already in the room.
The next question is where he ends up in the lineup.
There has already been some movement through the first two games, but Cowan is currently on the third line with Nick Paul and Colton Sissons, while Gavin McKenna is skating alongside John Tavares and William Nylander. That second line has not clicked, and head coach Jim Hiller’s all-offense setup has not produced the results he wanted.
That’s why Cowan looks like the obvious fix. He would bring speed, puck retrieval and distribution to a pairing with two elite shooters, and the fit with Tavares and Nylander makes plenty of sense on paper. He has earned the chance with how he’s started, and the Leafs may decide that the easiest answer is simply moving him up.
Toronto will host the Ottawa Senators this Saturday, and it will be worth watching whether Hiller makes any changes before then.
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In Pittsburghs season opener against the Flyers, Robertson was slotted onto Sidney Crosbys top line, a spot he never had with the Maple Leafs. He made the most of the fresh start right away, turning in the kind of debut that invites an uncomfortable question for Toronto about what exactly it gave up and what might still have been left to unlock. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs New Era Gets An Early Lift Fans Needed
The Maple Leafs got the kind of early-season bounce they were looking for with a 2-1 win over the New York Islanders, a tidy result that offered some immediate relief as a new era begins in Toronto. Easton Cowan supplied one of the brighter sparks, while Colton Sissons also found the net, and Anthony Stolarz gave the club a steady night in goal with 26 saves.
There was plenty to like about the way Toronto managed the game after getting ahead, especially with a young contributor helping set the tone right away. Emil Heineman scored for the Islanders and Ilya Sorokin turned aside 24 shots, but the bigger takeaway for the Leafs was the confidence that can come from starting this chapter with a win, even if the longer road ahead is still only beginning. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Face A Big Defense Question As Trade Buzz Builds
The Maple Leafs appear to be treating the blue line as the next major item on their list, with the club reportedly looking to strengthen its defense through the trade market. Toronto has some added cap flexibility because of players on long-term injured reserve, and general manager John Chayka is viewed as someone who could be open to a meaningful move if it helps the roster now.
Roman Josi and Dougie Hamilton have come up in the speculation around what Toronto might chase, but the picture is still developing and no deal has been finalized. The bigger question is how far the Leafs are willing to go to address that need, especially if the market opens a path to a defenseman who can shift the balance of the lineup. [Read more 🡒]