Maple Leafs News & Rumours: Gavin McKenna & Easton Cowan’s Break-Out Potential

One thing that makes this Toronto Maple Leafs season so intriguing is that there are far more questions than answers. That’s not a bad thing. For the first time in a while, the team isn’t simply trying to squeeze one more year out of the same core. New head coach Jim Hiller has inherited a roster with some exciting young talent, and one of his biggest jobs will be figuring out how to put those players in positions to succeed.

Two names stand out as training camp approaches. Gavin McKenna is expected to become a key piece of the team’s future almost immediately, while Easton Cowan is looking to build on a rookie season that showed flashes of becoming something much bigger. Both players have the talent. Now it’s up to the coaching staff to make sure they have the right opportunities.

Where Should Gavin McKenna Play?

The biggest question surrounding McKenna heading into his first NHL season might not be whether he can play in the team’s top six. It’s where he fits best. When you add a player with his skill level, vision, and ability to create offence, the temptation is obvious: put him beside Auston Matthews and William Nylander and let the magic happen. A line featuring McKenna, Matthews, and Nylander would give Toronto three elite offensive weapons and could quickly become one of the NHL’s most dangerous lines. Matthews has always thrived alongside creative playmakers, and McKenna certainly fits that description.

However, there may be an even smarter way to introduce the young star to the NHL. Starting him alongside John Tavares and Nylander could provide the ideal environment for his development. Tavares has built a career on making the players around him better through his hockey sense and consistency. McKenna could benefit from learning the NHL game beside one of the league’s smartest veterans while still playing meaningful offensive minutes.

The beauty of Toronto’s roster is that it gives Hiller options. McKenna doesn’t have to stay in one spot all season. The Maple Leafs can ease him into the league, then move him alongside Matthews when the matchup or the situation calls for it. That flexibility also creates opportunities for players like Matthew Knies and Cowan. Rather than forcing one perfect lineup, Hiller can build combinations that maximize the strengths of everyone on the roster.

Easton Cowan Could Be One of Jim Hiller’s Biggest Winners

One of the more interesting takeaways from Arun Srinivasan’s review of Cowan’s rookie season is the belief that the young winger could take a significant step forward under Hiller. Despite Toronto’s disappointing year, Cowan emerged as one of the team’s brightest surprises, bringing energy, secondary scoring, and the kind of competitiveness that was often missing from the lineup. After helping the Toronto Marlies capture the Calder Cup with 18 points in 22 playoff games, he enters next season with plenty of confidence.

Srinivasan argues that Cowan never really received a consistent opportunity under former head coach Craig Berube. He moved throughout the lineup, spent time on the fourth line, and even found himself benched after a costly turnover despite producing solid results in limited opportunities. Even so, Cowan showed he could play alongside Matthews, won puck battles, created offence, and wasn’t afraid to stand up for teammates against much larger opponents.

With Hiller now behind the bench, there’s optimism that clearer communication and more consistent roles will allow Cowan to settle into a regular top-nine spot. While his underlying analytics weren’t spectacular, much of that appears tied to how he was deployed. If Hiller gives him stable offensive minutes, Cowan has all the tools to become one of the Leafs’ biggest breakout players next season.

What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?

The common thread connecting both McKenna and Cowan is development. One player is just arriving in Toronto, while the other is trying to establish himself as a full-time NHL contributor. In both cases, success may depend less on raw talent than on how the coaching staff chooses to use them. Good organizations don’t just suit up talented players. They create environments where those players can grow.

That’s one of the biggest storylines to watch under the new head coach. The Maple Leafs have no shortage of skill, but they also have flexibility throughout the lineup. If Hiller can find the right combinations and give his younger players the confidence that comes with clearly defined roles, Toronto could discover that two of its biggest improvements next season aren’t newcomers at all. One is a highly anticipated rookie, and the other is a young winger whose best hockey should still be ahead of him.