Cowan Could Make His Debut In Detroit

The Toronto Maple Leafs play their first road game of the season in Detroit against the Red Wings on Saturday night, in a bit of odd scheduling. The Leafs finished up their preseason with a home-and-home against the Winged Wheel last week, and after their season-opening 5-2 win over Montreal on Wednesday, they play Detroit in a home-and-home on Saturday and a Monday afternoon Thanksgiving tilt.

The Leafs practiced at Ford Performance Centre on Friday, and noticeably, rookie Easton Cowan, who was recalled on Wednesday but was a healthy scratch against the Habs, was an extra skater. The 20-year-old Cowan had a good training camp and head coach Craig Berube was impressed with the young winger, but with an excess of forwards, there does not seem to be a clear path to consistent playing time on the NHL roster. 

“He’s close, he’s got a great attitude. He works hard, he had a good practice today,” Berube said. “(Putting him in) is a decision we have to discuss and make right now, and we will see what happens (on Saturday).”  

In the win over Montreal, three of the Leafs four lines factored in the scoring. The only one that did not was the third line of Dakota Joshua, Max Domi, and Nick Robertson. Domi has long displayed a lack of consistency playing up the middle, and Robertson has defensive issues that at times have nullified his offensive gifts. It is possible that Cowan could sub in for Robertson at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday.

If the intent of Berube is to give Cowan a taste of the NHL and then send him down to the AHL to play regularly, then that is a good idea. If the Leafs spot him or yo-yo him in and out of the lineup, that would seem less beneficial to his development than playing top-line minutes and on special teams with the Marlies. 

News And Notes

The Leafs announced some additions to their hockey operations department on Wednesday. Former Colorado Avalanche forwards Steven Reinprecht and Eric Lacroix have joined the club’s scouting department as pro scouts.

Mikael Kotkaniemi (father of Carolina’s Jesperi) has joined the club as a European Amateur Scout, and former Leaf Mark Giordano has joined the Toronto Marlies as a Coaching Advisor.