In the 2023 NHL Draft, Easton Cowan was unexpectedly taken late in the opening round by Toronto to the surprise of many. Today, he is headed to the Memorial Cup and sits atop the Leafs prospect ladder, and the only thing surprising is that he wasn't picked sooner.

Less than a year ago, the hockey world was shocked that the Toronto Maple Leafs chose Easton Cowan in the first round. 

Today, he is preparing for the Memorial Cup fresh off winning the OHL championship with the London Knights, capturing the regular season and playoff MVP awards along the way – a feat last accomplished by Leafs winger Mitch Marner.

His selection was a shock to many with even Cowan admitting on draft day, “It was a little bit surprising."

He was impressive in training camp and the pre-season before returning to the OHL to dominate as an 18-year-old. The draft day surprise is starting to look like a genius move by the Leafs and their scouting staff, headlined by their director of amateur scouting, Wes Clark.

His incredible performance in the playoffs is all the more impressive when you realize he led the Knights on a run that consisted of three sweeps in four series with just two losses in the conference final against a loaded Saginaw Spirit team. They will get another chance to face off against that same Spirit team as they head to Saginaw for the Memorial Cup next week.

Cowan’s statistical performance was simply remarkable. His 1.89 points per game was fourth best ever for a draft-plus-one player in a playoff run lasting at least 16 games, which is coincidentally the number of wins it takes to capture the championship. The Leafs' top prospect registered 34 points in the Knights' run, which topped all OHLers and CHLers in the playoffs.

“He’s a big leader on our team, always setting the tone for us,” London defenseman Sam Dickinson said earlier this season. “He’s always out there looking to work harder than the other team, and when you’re as talented as he is, that’s a lot to handle for them.”

Cowan’s work ethic is always mentioned when talking to those around him. Whether it’s coaches, teammates, scouts, or those who follow the Knights closely, they all agree that Cowan is a talented hockey player, but his motor separates him from his peers.

That work ethic drove the progression of his game and the development of his skills. It’s what allowed his stock to rise meteorically before the draft last June. It’s what made him one of the most impressive players in the OHL this season.

He’s a hound on the puck when he doesn’t have it, hunting down the puck whether he’s on the forecheck looking to take away time from defenders or strip opponents and flip the ice in the neutral zone. The value that Cowan brings at both ends of the ice will help him transition to pro hockey once he gets there.

While he’s earned every bit of praise on ice, Cowan’s mindset off of the ice and leadership on the Knights was a big reason he was able to help the team redeem their OHL finals loss last season. They were young and outperformed what was expected last year, but that raised expectations for this season. It was Cowan who stepped up and took the reins this season.

He was relied upon in all situations. When the team needed a goal, he created the offense that led to one. When they needed a big penalty kill, they looked to Cowan. 'Cowboy' set the tone early in games, and he was on the ice late defending leads.

Cowan was the catalyst for the Knights' success in every facet of the game.

He isn’t a finished product by any means, but everything he’s displayed this season saw him stick around right until the end of training camp with Toronto before being sent back to London. 

Cowan still needs to fill out his frame and get stronger. He must continue working on his defensive game to ensure it’s NHL quality. He also must learn that some of the things he has success with in major junior won’t work at the NHL level, especially in the playoffs.

During his time with the Leafs, Cowan soaked in everything he could from the squad before the season. Spending every day with world-class players such as Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Mitch Marner and William Nylander who gave him real and up-close examples of how to be a pro.

Although London continues to be regarded as “junior hockey’s best pro team,” seeing how each of those stars handle things – in their own unique way – gave him examples of how to handle the pressure of being not only one of Toronto’s prospects, but their best prospect.

You see small glimpses of it in the way he handles himself already. He is the engine of his team’s offense, like Matthews. He shows maturity in the face of adversity, like Tavares. He has the pride of a hometown kid, like Marner. And much like Nylander, he never seems to forget that hockey is just that – a game.

He may never be a player at the level of those guys, but Cowan has the potential to be one of the most effective homegrown players since the ‘Core Four Era’ began.

His continued growth offensively, his relentless work ethic, and his development as a well-rounded 200-foot player should make him a key piece to the next era. With Craig Berube coming in, he will likely get another shot in training camp to impress the new coaching staff. Maybe he gets a nine-game stint like fellow prospect Fraser Minten did this past season. Maybe he gets more.

Much like every opportunity that Cowan has had to this point, whatever happens in training camp will be because of the work that he put in. For now, though, his focus is on the Memorial Cup in Saginaw next week.

“The job’s not finished, we’re ready for Saginaw,” said Cowan right after winning the OHL title and being named playoff MVP.

If he continues playing the way he has been in the OHL playoffs, he may just be collecting another trophy next weekend.