When the Toronto Maple Leafs drafted Easton Cowan during the 2023 NHL Draft, a good portion of Leafs Nation questioned it. However, after they paid close attention to him playing for the London Knights and saw what he could do, Leafs Nation fell in love with the prospect. Now, 52 games later, he has shown that he may be just too good for the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
Cowan has extended his OHL point streak to 52 games. He is now just three games back of tying and four from breaking the OHL point streak (55) held by beloved Maple Leaf Doug Gilmour in 1982-83 with the Cornwall Royals. The Royals were put into the OHL from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in 1981 before leaving in 1992. They then became the Newmarket Royals for from 1992-94 before moving and becoming the Sarnia Sting, where they have been ever since.
Cowan’s goal to extend the streak came as an empty netter with 30.4 seconds left. His second empty net goal in a week, this time coming in a 3-1 win over the Kitchener Rangers.
Cowan’s OHL Dominance
Cowan has been one of the OHL’s best players the past two seasons. He is coming off of winning the OHL MVP award and while also leading the Knights to an OHL championship before coming up short in the Memorial Cup against the Saginaw Spirit.
Last season, he had 35 goals, 62 assists for 96 points in 54 games. This season in 15 games, he had 13 goals and eight assists for 21 points. As of now, he is projected to have 56 goals, 32 assists for 88 points in 56 games. While that may be a slight drop in points from last season, if he has a few big games he could easily beat his total from 2023-24.
The 19-year-old was drafted in the first round of the 2023 NHL draft by the Maple Leafs. Brad Treliving made him the first pick as general manager of the organization, and his selection as the 28th pick in the draft has proven to be a wise decision.
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Cowan’s streak started back on Nov. 24, 2023, which is only four days away from being a year-long streak. He has a chance to tie Gilmour’s OHL record on Sunday, Nov. 24, against the Ottawa 67’s. Which means he can break the record with a 56-game point streak on Thursday, Nov. 28, against the Peterborough Petes.
As of right now, Cowan has all but secured himself a spot on the 2024 Team Canada roster at the World Juniors tournament. Last season, he played and scored one goal and one assist in five games. This season, he should be given a larger role and could be a huge contributor to help Canada win yet another gold medal.
Leafs Nation, let’s hope that Cowan can tie and break the record. It’ll be fun to experience a Maple Leafs prospect break OHL records during the prime of the core four’s careers. The future is bright in Leafs land!
Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan extends incredible OHL point streak to 52 games. He is now just 4 games away from breaking it