Easton Cowan Forces Maple Leafs Roster Decision After Standout Preseason

Overview

• Cowan capped his camp with 12:23 of ice time on Thursday, topping Dakota Joshua, Scott Laughton and Steven Lorentz in that game.
• He has two assists, seven shots and a plus-4 rating across four preseason appearances.
• Berube publicly noted Cowan’s growth and highlighted the effectiveness of a line with Steven Lorentz and Scott Laughton.
• The club must settle its roster before the Oct. 8 opener against Montreal, leaving Cowan’s assignment pending after an extended look.
• Cowan’s waiver-exempt status gives Toronto flexibility as David Kämpf was placed on waivers Friday, and some analysts argue keeping Cowan on the fourth line could influence decisions on other forwards such as Nick Robertson.