Easton Cowan, a 21-year-old winger for the Toronto Maple Leafs, has impressed his teammates with his play in the team's first victory of the season against the New York Islanders on Wednesday night. Following a successful Calder Cup run with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies this summer where he scored eight goals and ten assists, Cowan contributed to both goals in the 2-1 win over the Islanders. His improved confidence and defensive play have been noted by players like Morgan Rielly and Anthony Stolarz, who attribute his growth partly to his playoff experience with the Marlies. The Maple Leafs’ coaching staff is also enthusiastic about Cowan’s trajectory and dedication to improving off the ice as well.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-01,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
TORONTO – Morgan Rielly and Jake McCabe were riding stationary bikes late Wednesday night.
asserted
Rielly → rid → bikes
The conversation between the Maple Leafs defencemen pivoted to a player both have watched grow in the NHL.
asserted
both → pivot → NHL
Easton Cowan has undoubtedly arrived.
asserted
Cowan → arrive → ?
The 21-year-old winger helped set up his team’s opening goal and then bagged the eventual game-winner to help Toronto pick up its first victory of the season, 2-1 over the New York Islanders.
asserted
Toronto → help → Islanders
“I don’t know what it is, but you could tell at the end of last year he was growing his game a lot,” Rielly said.
uncertain
Rielly → know → game
“He was displaying a lot of poise and really making plays and holding on to the puck.
asserted
He → display → puck
Right from the start of camp, he’s taken his game to that next level.
asserted
he → take → level
You’re happy when a guy like that gets rewarded with a good start.”
asserted
guy → ’re → start
Cowan also had an assist in Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens after helping the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies hoist the Calder Cup in June.
asserted
Marlies → have → June
The product of Mount Brydges, Ont., said that experience was crucial to his start to the NHL schedule.
“Any time you’re playing pro in the playoffs helps a lot,” said Cowan, who had eight goals and 10 assists across 22 AHL post-season games.
asserted
who → say → games
Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz, who made 26 saves to get the win against New York after an injury-filled 2025-26 campaign that ended with his team missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade, has seen a noticeable difference in Cowan.
asserted
team → make → Cowan
Night and day,” Stolarz said.
asserted
Stolarz → say → ?
“He’s playing with a lot of confidence, and the defensive aspect of his game has improved as well.
asserted
aspect → play → game
He’s getting some (penalty killing) time out there.
asserted
He → get → time
That’s just maturity and growing as a player.
asserted
That → ’ → player
“The best thing for him was going down to the (AHL) and getting a taste of that playoff action and being able to play his game and dominate.
asserted
thing → go → game
He carried that confidence into the summer.
asserted
He → carry → summer
He’s playing a huge role on this team so far.”
asserted
He → play → team
The six-foot, 189-pound Cowan has also impressed first-year Toronto head coach Jim Hiller.
asserted
Cowan → impress → Hiller
“I just like his trajectory and how mentally he really wants it,” Hiller said.
asserted
Hiller → like → it
“It’s easy to say, then there’s all these things that you have to do.
asserted
you → ’ → that
When I see him getting to the rink early and stretching and eating and then going into the gym, that tells me he’s on the right path.”
asserted
he → see → path
The 28th pick at the 2023 draft has found an early home on the Maple Leafs’ third line alongside newcomers Nick Paul and Colton Sissons, who both arrived as part of a summer roster reconstruction.
asserted
who → find → reconstruction
Cowan picked up a secondary assist on the game’s first goal Wednesday when Sissons redirected Paul’s pass before jamming home a rebound after Rielly knocked down a clearing attempt on a Toronto man advantage.
asserted
Rielly → pick → advantage
“Sky’s the limit with that kid,” Sissons said.
asserted
Sissons → ’ → kid
“He’s got all the potential in the world.”
asserted
He → get → world
Cowan, meanwhile, is liking the vibe around Toronto’s locker room coming off an NHL season to forget.
asserted
Cowan → like → season
“Some young juice and some veterans, it goes a long way,” he said.
asserted
he → go → ?
“We just want to keep it going.”
asserted
We → want → it
NEW COLOURS
Ottawa Senators legend Daniel Alfredsson joined Hiller’s staff in the summer as an associate after three seasons in the nation’s capital as an assistant.
asserted
Alfredsson → join → assistant
Paul wasn’t sure what the reaction would be when Alfredsson — one of the key characters from the Battle of Ontario in the early 2000s — was introduced inside Scotiabank Arena ahead of the Tuesday’s game.
asserted
Alfredsson → introduce → game
“I didn’t know if it was going to be boos or cheers,” Paul, a Mississauga, Ont., native, joked Wednesday morning.
asserted
Paul → know → ?
“With players like that, they see the ice different and see plays different.
asserted
ice → see → plays
Being able to go to him and pick his brain and ask him about clips and what his thoughts are on different situations is huge.
asserted
are → go → situations
He’s a great coach, he’s a great person, and he’s got everyone’s back.
asserted
he → ’ → back
“It’s great having him on this side.”
asserted
It → ’ → side
MCKENNA WATCH
No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna was held off the scoresheet for the second straight night, but had a couple of good looks and could have registered his first NHL point on a William Nylander chance in the third period.
uncertain
McKenna → hold → period
“I thought he was better,” Hiller said of the 18-year-old winger.
asserted
Hiller → think → winger
“We talked about taking a step (and) he has to each time.”
asserted
he → talk → step
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2026.
asserted
report → publish → Press
The Aporia
