The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced that their top prospect Easton Cowan will make his NHL debut against the Detroit Red Wings on Monday afternoon.
Related: Maple Leafs’ Lorentz Injured in Game Against Red Wings
There’s a saying in hockey that one man’s injury is another man’s opportunity. Cowan is getting his first NHL game because of the injury to Steven Lorentz, who went down after taking a hit from Red Wings defenseman Ben Chiarot on Saturday night.
Cowan’s Debut Set for Monday
It has been a bit of a rollercoaster for Cowan since the start of the season. He didn’t make the opening night roster and was sent down, only to be called back up that same night. Since then, he’s been sitting in the press box waiting for his chance.
Now, he finally gets to live out a childhood dream, complete with a rookie lap and all the attention on him, on home ice, in the mecca of hockey. What a feeling that’s going to be for Cowan. He spoke about it with reporters after practice.
“I think that makes it that much more special,” Cowan said. “Lots of family and friends and obviously in front of the awesome Toronto fans.”
When Cowan was asked about his NHL debut, he shared that he plans to call one of his best friends, former Maple Leafs prospect Fraser Minten.
“He’ll be pumped.”
According to Mark Masters from TSN, Cowan was practicing on the team’s top line alongside Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies.
When he talked to Masters about playing on the top line, he said,
“I feel confident. I feel like I’m ready for this. So just gonna take it all in, enjoy it and have some fun.”
The Maple Leafs game was moved up to 2:00 in the afternoon tomorrow, to avoid conflicts with the Toronto Blue Jays who play in the ALCS against the Seattle Mariners.
