The Maple Leafs Are Pulling Us Back In Again. Is This Time

Something about the Maple Leafs keeps pulling you back in. You can watch them struggle, wonder what's wrong with this team, and start questioning what they can accomplish. Then they put together a good performance, Auston Matthews starts looking like Auston Matthews again, and suddenly you're thinking, "Maybe these guys can do something after all."

I suspect a lot of Maple Leafs fans know that feeling.

Easton Cowan is adding a new dimension to the Maple Leafs.

Easton Cowan is one reason for the renewed optimism. He's been dogged, he's making legitimate offensive plays, and he's bringing something to the lineup that seems to be changing how this team looks. He's not just skating around trying to keep up. He's making things happen. That's an important distinction.

Young players can change a team's outlook without becoming its leading scorer. Sometimes, they bring energy, confidence, and a willingness to attack that rubs off on everyone else. Cowan seems to be doing some of that, and playing alongside Matthews gives him an opportunity to contribute in a different way.

Auston Matthews is looking more like his old self.

Matthews, meanwhile, looks more dangerous. When he's finishing chances and making plays that perhaps weren't there last season, it's hard not to get excited. Add in stronger performances from Morgan Rielly and some of the other defencemen, and there's a reasonable case that the Maple Leafs are showing signs of improvement at both ends of the ice.

But here's where I'd be a little careful. One good performance doesn't tell us what this team will become. We've watched the Maple Leafs play well enough to raise expectations before, only to leave fans wondering a few days later where that promising team went.

That doesn't mean we should dismiss what we're seeing now. It means we should enjoy it without getting too far ahead of ourselves.

What happens next with these encouraging Maple Leafs performances?

The question isn't whether the Maple Leafs have enough talent to make us believe. We've known for some time that they have talented players. The question is whether they can turn these encouraging performances into something consistent.

That's where Cowan's emergence could matter most. If he keeps making plays, brings energy every night, and helps Matthews find another level, the impact could extend beyond his own numbers. Suddenly, the team has another player opponents must account for, and the possibilities begin to look a little different.

So, yes, I'm encouraged. I suspect plenty of other fans are, too. I'm just not ready to declare the Maple Leafs fixed. We've been down that road before.

For now, let's appreciate what's working, enjoy watching Cowan grow, and see whether Matthews and the rest of the team can keep building on it. Hope is a wonderful thing in hockey. Consistency is what makes it last.