Easton Cowan Is Becoming Something the Maple Leafs Didn't

Sometimes a young player takes longer than everyone hopes to figure out the NHL. Sometimes he arrives and makes people wonder why they ever doubted him. Easton Cowan seems to be somewhere between those two experiences, and the Maple Leafs are starting to see what they have.

I expected a leap from Cowan this season. His rookie year had its ups and downs, but he flashed enough of something special to suggest he could do more. What I didn't expect was how quickly he'd become one of Toronto's most dependable and noticeable players.

Cowan Has Earned Jim Hiller's Trust—and a Bigger Role.

Cowan has worked his way into a much bigger role, recently earning a spot on the top line. That's not a small achievement for a young player still establishing himself. He's getting there through the kind of hockey coaches appreciate: he's pesky, persistent, difficult to play against and increasingly skilled with the puck.

Something else is worth noticing here. Head coach Jim Hiller liked what he saw from Cowan on the first day of training camp. His dogged, determined approach caught the coach's attention, and Cowan hasn't given him much reason to change his mind.

That's an interesting part of this story. Young players often arrive in the NHL believing they have to prove they belong by doing something spectacular. A highlight-reel goal or a flashy offensive play can get noticed. But earning a coach's trust often starts with much less glamorous work.

Cowan Is Finding His Way Up the Maple Leafs Depth Chart.

Cowan appears to understand that. He competes, stays involved, makes himself useful and doesn't seem particularly interested in waiting for someone to hand him an opportunity. For Maple Leafs fans, that's encouraging for another reason. Toronto has spent considerable time developing young players who can contribute without needing a starring role. Cowan is showing that there is more than one way to make an impression.

I'm not suggesting we've seen the finished product. In fact, he’s had tough stretches where he’s turned over pucks. And there will be adjustments and nights when things don't come quite so easily. That's part of growing into an NHL career.

But perhaps the most encouraging thing about Cowan's early-season leap isn't how much better he's playing. It's how naturally he's earning a place in the conversation about the players Toronto needs to count on. That's a pretty good development for a young player who was still finding his footing not that long ago.