Easton Cowan being given too much too fast by the Maple Leafs?

Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Rookie sensation Easton Cowan has been a small bright spot in an otherwise dreary Maple Leafs season, but one analyst believes the team is making a huge mistake with him.

The Maple Leafs can seemingly do no right at the moment, dropping their 5th consecutive game, this time to the Chicago Blackhawks on Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday night.

The Leafs did put up a bit of a fight in this one, taking a 2-1 lead in the 2nd period before allowing two unanswered tallies to Teuvo Teravainen and Colton Dach in the 3rd period to drop a 3-2 decision, with Hawks goalie Spencer Knight posting a .939 SV%.

Easton Cowan Being Given Too Much Too Fast?

Following the loss, JD Bunkis and Sam McKee released a brand new edition of “Leafs Talk” where they discussed what Bunkis believes is a huge issue for this team right now, which is their handling of rookie Easton Cowan.

Bunkis believes that the team is doing more harm than good with how much head coach Craig Berube is piling on Cowan’s plate this early into his NHL career, playing him in big minutes in all situations before he’s truly earned it as an NHLer.

“I don’t want him to feel entitled. We’ve already had way too much entitlement with the young guys, and the fact that he’s coming up and they go ‘hey, you’re Cowboy, and you’re on power play one,’ — EARN IT! Earn it, man. I don’t need the culture to trickle down to the next generation of younger players… I just don’t like giving Cowan everything right out of the gate, and I certainly don’t like it when a power play goes 0/3 and shows you absolutely no signs of life and he’s a part of it, that you just keep going back to the well and saying, ‘nope, we’re going to Cowboy!'”

Cowan played 16:37 for the Leafs in the 3-2 loss to Chicago, which was his 2nd-highest TOI so far this season. His 22 shifts were a new career high.

Leafs Creating Another Entitled Young Star?

Bunkis makes a great point about how the Leafs have had a big problem with young player entitlement and not wanting that to trickle down to Cowan. However, Cowan’s work ethic speaks volumes and if he’s willing to work hard, who’s to say he doesn’t deserve the opportunities he’s receiving?

It’s a tough line to walk, to be sure, as you certainly don’t want to spoil a young player and put him in a position where you might be forced to take things away and risk damaging his confidence. Still, if a player is showing you through his actions that he’s ready to go to work and create quality scoring chances for a team who has lacked confidence of late, it’s hard to deny him those opportunities from a coaching standpoint.

It’s Not All Hype: The Leafs Have Also Humbled Cowan This Season

Cowan has been humbled by head coach Craig Berube this season, with the veteran coach sitting his rookie in the press box on a number of occasions, as well as having been sent down by GM Brad Treliving once already this season. So, perhaps this isn’t a situation where the Leafs are creating another entitled, young star, but a situation where their hand has been forced by injury.

Previously on Maple Leafs Daily

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Leafs Talk Host Believes the Maple Leafs Are Making a Big Mistake With Easton Cowan

Do you think the Leafs are creating another entitled young star with Easton Cowan?