Easton Cowan called up to Toronto Maple Leafs just before first game
It turns out Easton Cowan will be on the Toronto Maple Leafs roster on opening night after all.
On Wednesday, the Leafs announced that they’d called up Cowan in place of forward Jack Quillan, ahead of their season opener.
The Athletic’s James Mirtle reported that Cowan is also expected to make his NHL debut, though Leafs coach Craig Berube later said he’d be scratched.
The Leafs hit the ice for a 7 p.m. home contest against longtime rival Montreal Canadiens, with the game being played at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena.
Why wasn’t Cowan on the Leafs roster to begin with?
The Leafs’ roster manoeuvring appeared to be a bit of salary cap tinkering, and not indicative of the organization’s feelings on Cowan as a prospect.
“We want to manage it appropriately. If he’s going to be playing with us here, great, but if not, I want him playing,” Leafs general manager Brad Treliving said Tuesday.
Last season with the London Knights, Cowan put up 29 goals and 40 assists over 46 regular-season games, followed by 13 goals and 26 assists over 17 OHL playoff games en route to the league title. At the Memorial Cup, Cowan added four goals and three assists in five games to win tournament MVP and the national title.
“We have a plan for him. That is all I’m going to say about it right now,” Leafs head coach Craig Berube added on Tuesday. “He had a good camp. I liked him in camp, and we all liked him in camp. He is a player who will help the Toronto Maple Leafs.”
- You might also like:
- Toronto Maple Leafs looking to trade for a top-six forward: report