The Maple Leafs finally appear ready to let Easton Cowan take the ball and run with it.
Or, in this case for the 20-year-old rookie, the puck.
“I plan on using Cowboy as much as I can, if it’s warranted and he’s going, I’ll move him around,” Leafs coach Craig Berube said after practice on Monday. “I think he has done some really good things. I love his energy and his ability to transport a puck up the ice. He makes some good plays, I’ll tell you that.
“Just keep working with him about managing his game. There’s times where he can make better decisions with the puck and be a little harder on things.”
New opportunities
With the departures of Bobby McMann, Nicolas Roy and Scott Laughton before the National Hockey League trade deadline last week, the Leafs are running with a minimum number of 12 forwards, provided there is not a late recall from the Toronto prior to the road game on Tuesday against the Montreal Canadiens.
It means there’s no reason for Cowan to come out the lineup in the final 18 games of the regular season, unless he gets injured.
Against the Canadiens, Cowan will start on what has the potential to be a youthful energy line with Jacob Quillan at centre and Nick Robertson on the right.
While Berube acknowledged that the line came together because of where he is using other forwards — specifically Max Domi back to the wing with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies — he does have a clear vision for Cowan.
Berube wants to see Cowan take better advantage of his ability to move the puck.
“He’s a guy that wants the puck,” Berube said. “He’s a guy that will take that puck and, coming out of your own end, and he’ll get it up the ice for you.”
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