Last night, the Toronto Maple Leafs lost to the Chicago Blackhawks, 3–2, but if you only look at the scoreboard, you miss the real story. The team played hard. They skated with urgency, battled on the boards, and led the game most of the way.
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Much of that spark came from what had previously been thought of as the bottom of the lineup — from players like Easton Cowan and Nicholas Robertson. Both, to my eyes, brought a type of energy that has been largely absent in Toronto.
Watching the youngsters raised a question that has been circling my head for weeks: Can hunger travel upward? Here, I’m thinking more about Cowan, who made a difference in his short time with the American Hockey League (AHL) Toronto Marlies and translated that into a ton of missed chances with the big club last night.
Maple Leafs Fire Starters: Cowan, Robertson & the Edge of Desperation
There’s something about watching a player who refuses to lose that’s contagious. Cowan lost, and his team with him. But you could see the refusal to quit in his game. It’s been with him in his first real stretch of AHL-to-NHL minutes. He carries himself like a player who has something to prove — and he worked to prove it every shift.
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Every battle along the boards, every rush into the offensive zone, he played with a visible sense of urgency. Robertson wasn’t far behind. Only once did I see him, on the defensive end, looking a bit lost. These are young guys whose spots in the lineup aren’t guaranteed, whose minutes come with a reminder that they have to earn every inch. That edge can make a team better, but only if it spreads.
The strange thing about spreading energy is that it rarely does. Cowan’s energy last night was palpable, yet it didn’t completely carry the team. The flashes were there, but they weren’t contagious enough to fully ignite a veteran core. That’s not a knock on the veterans. But it’s the natural challenge of integrating a younger, hungrier energy into a team that hasn’t been able to break free of its own funk.
The Middle Lost: Veterans, Comfort, and the Quiet Fade of Accountability
This is where the Maple Leafs’ problem has shown itself this season. The veterans, for all their skill and experience, don’t seem to show the fire (the urgency) that drives these two young players. They don’t lack effort, but the desperation appears absent. The grind that comes from having something to prove hasn’t shown itself in the middle of the lineup. Without that fire, minor errors get magnified, lapses linger, and the leads (like last night) slip quietly away during the games.
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Head coach Craig Berube’s role here is critical. He was hired to instill structure and accountability, ensuring that players at every level do the right things. But his tools are limited if the players don’t feel like they have something to fight for. Loud “motivation” can only go so far. At some point, the veterans need to pick up the torch, or the flashes of fire from guys like Cowan will burn out without leaving a mark.
The Coach’s Test: Berube and the Direction of Energy
The challenge for Berube isn’t simply teaching systems, though those have sometimes seemed absent this season. His bigger job is to manage an emotional current. Can the coach create a culture where energy moves both ways? Where the desperation and fire of younger players uplift the older ones? It’s a fine line. Push too hard, and you risk resistance; stay too soft, and the team drifts without focus.
Last night was an example of what’s possible if even part of the team embraces that hunger. The Maple Leafs (particularly Cowan) never gave up. He played with heart. He was on the ice when the team desperately needed a score that never came. The power play didn’t work the way it should have, and they couldn’t finish on enough chances. But the effort — the fire — was there.
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It suggests that keeping Cowan up with the team is a wise move. Robertson also seems to be growing into a meaningful role. He needs more time and space. But with Cowan, it’s becoming more than a developmental choice. It’s become a needed one because of the drive he brings. He is the energy carrier this team desperately needs.
