Leafs take 5-foot-10 centre Easton Cowan with their first pick in 2023 NHL Draft

The Toronto Maple Leafs have made their first pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

With their first selection of this year’s draft at 28th overall, the Leafs selected Easton Cowan from the London Knights.

Cowan is a 5-foot-10 centre from Mount Brydges, Ontario, who is listed at 170 pounds.

The selection was a pretty big surprise, with Cowan ranked 51st overall by NHL Central Scouting among North American skaters, as well as 53rd on Bob McKenzie’s rankings for TSN.

Cowan had 20 goals and 33 assists for a total of 53 points in 68 games for the Knights, adding nine goals and 12 assists in 21 playoff contests for London.

It’s unlikely he’ll crack the Leafs’ roster out of training camp, as late first-round picks hardly debut with the big club to start the season. But it’s possible he’ll make his debut for Toronto next week, when the Leafs host their development camp next week starting on July 3.

The actual pick itself was originally owned by Boston, and subsequently acquired by Toronto earlier this year from Washington in a deal that sent Rasmus Sandin to the Capitals in exchange for Erik Gustafsson.

It was the first draft pick under new Toronto general manager Brad Treliving, who had an odd set of restrictions placed on him at this year’s draft.

Due to his previous contract with the Calgary Flames, he actually had to hold off on joining Toronto’s draft table until after Calgary’s selection.

Despite the odd restrictions, Treliving made a pair of moves earlier in the day, signing both David Kampf and Pontus Holmberg on new multi-year contracts with Toronto ahead of free agency on July 1.

Toronto holds two more picks in this year’s draft, in the fifth and sixth round.

Earlier this week, Treliving confirmed that Sheldon Keefe will be returning next season behind the Leafs’ bench.

As expected, Connor Bedard went first overall to Chicago, while Leo Carlsson went second overall to the Anaheim Ducks and Adam Fantilli rounded out the top three by going to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

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