Easton Cowan will be back in the Toronto Maple Leafs [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs]' lineup on Saturday against the Ottawa Senators. It'll be the 20-year-old's first taste of game action since Jan. 29, five games ago against the Seattle Kraken. In that game [https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/2025020857], Cowan was a minus-one and played 9:44 in the 5-2 loss to Seattle. Head coach Craig Berube said he took Cowan out of the lineup [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/are-the-maple-leafs-hurting-easton-cowan-s-development-by-not-playing-him] because he had thought the prospect hit a wall with his play. And after winning three games in a row before the Olympic break, Berube opted to keep the same lineup going once the team returned. "It's decisions that I make as a coach, and I don't believe his development is getting hurt," Berube said, before Thursday's loss to the Florida Panthers [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F9lpl8-fe4]. "I think he's improved this year as the year went along, and I think he still has the swagger that's needed. He's a confident kid." On Saturday morning, Berube provided more about his decision to re-insert the forward back into Toronto's lineup. "He obviously needs to play. He’s a young kid, he's a good player," he said. "But at the time, taking him out of the lineup, going back to I think his Seattle game, right? I just felt like he was just a little overwhelmed at that point, and I wanted to give him a break, and we were winning games, so I didn't change the lineup." Cowan was on the wing of Toronto's third line on Saturday morning, alongside Nic Roy and Bobby McMann. It'll be his 20th game this season where the rookie draws into the Maple Leafs' lineup on the third line. Coming out of the lineup for the forward will be Steven Lorentz, who's played in 52 of Toronto's 59 games this season. "I'm excited to play hockey," Cowan said on Saturday morning. "Just trying to control what I can control, and that's getting better each and every day. Whether that's a practice, game, or (development) skate, just looking to stay positive and bring some good vibes." Cowan continued, "You want to play every game and it's tough, especially as a young player, but that's the fun of it. It's good to have a challenge and it's good to come to the rink every day and come prepared and work for it. Like I've been saying, it's just another opportunity here tonight, and I'm excited for it." Cowan has sat in the press box for 16 games this season. Despite that, Berube still believes there's value to Cowan remaining in the NHL, rather than going to the AHL. "He works on his game in practice. Our coaches working with him, watching the game a lot of times from up top, is not a bad thing," Toronto's coach said [https://x.com/nickbarden/status/2027780965964116417?s=20]. "But at the same point, a 20-year-old kid like that with lots of ability and upside, we've got to play him too." Cowan has seven goals and 17 points in 43 games this season with Toronto, while averaging 13:31 of ice time.
