Photo credit: USA Today
Craig Berube is standing by Easton Cowan after the Leafs rookie was sent down to the American Hockey League.Easton Cowan was sent down to the minors yesterday, assigned to the Toronto Marlies with Scott Laughton removed from injured reserve and making his debut against the Utah Mammoth.
The news of Cowan’s demotion to the AHL didn’t come as a shock, as the Leafs youngster was already under the risk of being dropped to the minors once the team’s forward group was at full health, and with Nick Robertson playing in the top-six, Cowan seemed all the more likely to be the man left off the lineup.
The move does give Cowan a major chance to be a leader for the Marlies and spearhead the team’s offense alongside fellow youngster Jacob Quillan. The Marlies could also use some offense as it appears increasingly likely that David Kampf is nearing an exit with the team to pursue other opportunities.
Despite being sent down, Berube has stood by Cowan and has emphasized that he still believes in the youngsters talent, that him being sent down isn’t a punishment, but a chance to grow.
Berube Stands Behind His Young Forward
In comments about the roster move, Craig Berube defended Easton Cowan as a player after being sent down, saying that decision was beyond his hands.
Berube deferred to Leafs GM Brad Treliving on the decision to demote Cowan, but defended his rookie forward as a player with clear talent, saying that Cowan is a talented player he believes belongs in the lineup, but understands the decision to send him down.
Of course, no one is saying Cowan did anything wrong, but as a rookie was the easiest player to drop, both for lineup reasons and for the financial aspects of the move.
A Roster Limit Move, Not a Reflection on Cowan
With the decision to send down Easton Cowan, as mentioned, talent level is not the big thing that ended up making this decision happen, but made the most sense from a roster standpoint.
Cowan was sent down as the one player who doesn’t require waivers to be moved to the Marlies, making him the most expendable player on the roster in terms of heading to the minors.
Cowan is still a player that the Leafs believe in, but logistically had to move somebody out to create roster space for the veteran Laughton, and Cowan had to be an unfortunate cap casualty.
That doesn’t mean the end of Cowan this season. The rookie could still find a way back into the lineup, and one way could be if the Leafs make a trade at forward, allowing for Cowan to return to the lineup with an open space. Cowan had played with Laughton in the preseason, so they could try that again.
For now, Easton Cowan will get a bigger opportunity to prove himself at the AHL level and potentially be a leader, and in the long-term may be best for the youngsters’ development.
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