{"id":218281,"date":"2025-10-16T21:53:17","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T21:53:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/218281\/"},"modified":"2025-10-16T21:53:17","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T21:53:17","slug":"maple-leafs-rookie-easton-cowan-holding-up-just-fine-despite-cheap-hits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/218281\/","title":{"rendered":"Maple Leafs rookie Easton Cowan holding up just fine despite ‘cheap’ hits"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Maple Leafs and New York Rangers<\/a> (optional) skated at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday. <\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

Leafs rookie Easton Cowan<\/a> is holding up just fine despite taking some big hits early in his NHL career. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a smaller guy, but he\u2019s not afraid to go in those dirty areas,\u201d said linemate Auston Matthews<\/a>. \u201cObviously, took a couple kind of cheap hits, the one going to the net, stuff like that, but he\u2019s strong. I think he\u2019s deceptively a lot stronger than he maybe looks at times.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ozzy Wiesblatt<\/a> knocked Cowan into the Leafs net early in the third period on Tuesday night when the 6-foot, 190-pound winger didn\u2019t have the puck. The Predators forward was called for interference on the play.<\/p>\n

Later in the third period, Filip Forsberg<\/a> hit Cowan hard just moments before the whistle went on a delayed Predators penalty. <\/p>\n

Cowan cracked a small smile when informed that Matthews called the hits cheap. <\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s just the game,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd just get back up and keep playing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Per NaturalStatTrick.com, Cowan has taken six hits in his first two NHL games, which is tied for most on the team with defenceman Chris Tanev.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s handled it really well,\u201d Matthews said. \u201cI think he understands the nature of moving up and playing at this level. There\u2019s obviously a lot of big guys out there, strong men, and you got to protect yourself and I think he does a good job of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cowan, who played in the Ontario Hockey League last season, added seven pounds of muscle in the summer to prepare for the physical challenge of professional hockey. The Leafs had a day off on Wednesday, but Cowan revealed that he went to the arena to do some stretching and take care of his body. <\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like I\u2019ve been hitting a lot,\u201d he said. \u201cJust looking to keep that going, keep finishing my checks, playing hard hockey and simple hockey and I\u2019ll be good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cowan has landed five hits in two games, which is tied for the team lead.<\/p>\n

Matthews sees deceptively strong Cowan holding up well despite ‘cheap hits’ Easton Cowan has adapted well to the physical nature of the National Hockey League and despite receiving some perceived ‘cheap hits’ against the Predators, according to Auston Matthews, the Leafs’ rookie sees it as just part of the game. <\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

Tanev confronted Wiesblatt after the hit on Cowan. With a penalty pending on the Predators, not much came out of the scrum. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got a power play on the one, so you can\u2019t react to that,\u201d coach Craig Berube<\/a> said. \u201cI think it\u2019s important, you gotta stay disciplined. All scenarios are different when it comes to that. Our team, I\u2019m not too worried about it. I think our team\u2019s going to stand up for each other and get in there. I know they are. They did it last year, I expect them to do the same. But, at the same time, you know, it\u2019s situational for me. We got a power play out of it. Power play\u2019s job is to make them pay.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Leafs power play, however, did not convert and is now 0-for-8 on the season with one shorthanded goal allowed. <\/p>\n

\u201cTough to get in a rhythm right now in games,\u201d Matthews said. \u201cI don\u2019t think we\u2019re doing enough 5-on-5 to give ourselves more power-play opportunities. The more opportunities you get obviously the more rhythm you get. So, I think that\u2019s on us to kind of break out of that rut right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Only the Vancouver Canucks<\/a> (seven in three games) have had fewer power play opportunities so far this season. <\/p>\n

How can the Leafs draw more calls? <\/p>\n

\u201cHanging on to the pucks down low,\u201d Matthews said. \u201cI mean, it\u2019s [offensive] zone time. If you have the puck more than they have to defend and the more opportunities there are to draw penalties.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Leafs finished tied for 20th in power-play opportunities last season (2.6 per game). <\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

Cowan is still getting used to the NHL lifestyle. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe dinner is very good food, nice hotels, so just being grateful for each and every day,\u201d said Cowan, who grew up on a farm in Mount Brydges, Ont. ” But, yeah, it\u2019s called the \u2018Never Hungry League\u2019 for a reason and I haven\u2019t really been hungry that much. I\u2019ve been eating a lot, lots of good food.”<\/p>\n

And some new food. On Tuesday, defenceman Brandon Carlo<\/a> revealed that Cowan had never eaten tuna tartare before. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt was okay,\u201d Cowan said with a smile. \u201cNot a big fish guy. It was okay, but I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll go back to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is a rite of passage for a lot of young players. Tanev noted that he had never eaten sushi before arriving in the NHL. <\/p>\n

\u201cGoing to a nice steakhouse, never really went to those growing up as a kid,\u201d Tanev added. \u201cYou sort of get thrown into a whole different life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rangers forward Matt Rempe<\/a> lived with veteran goalie Jonathan Quick<\/a> last year. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe was taking me out for dinner a lot and half the things he ordered I\u2019d never even heard of before,\u201d the 23-year-old from Calgary said. \u201cI\u2019m very mixed on bone marrow. I don\u2019t know. I can go either way. It just kind of looks weird, but it tastes all right. But Quickie loves it, so we were always having it.\u201d<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

Cowan\u2019s stomach took a turn when the bill arrived at the team dinner the other night. <\/p>\n

\u201cI was sitting with the younger guys on the team and the waiter came over and handed me a bill,\u201d Cowan recalled. \u201cI thought I was gonna have to pay for it, but it was just [Max Domi<\/a>] and Auston playing a prank on me. It was definitely nice finding out you didn\u2019t have to pay for that.\u201d<\/p>\n

How nervous was Cowan in that moment? <\/p>\n

\u201cPretty nervous,\u201d he said. \u201cBut Kniesy helped me out, looked at the bill, and made sure it was fake. So, yeah, definitely nervous for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cowan declined to reveal the amount on the fake bill. <\/p>\n

\u201cJust little jokes like that are funny and go a long way,\u201d Cowan said. \u201cIt\u2019s just cool. They can joke around, and you gotta be able to take it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cowan\u2019s ability to roll with the punches is among the reasons why he\u2019s been able to make a smooth transition into NHL life and the top of the Leafs lineup. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe doesn\u2019t really strike me as a guy that overthinks things or puts too much time and effort into things that maybe don\u2019t really matter deep down,\u201d Matthews said. \u201cI think he\u2019s just a guy that loves the game, likes to come to the rink, and just wants to play hockey and play it at the highest level that he can. I think that\u2019s what he\u2019s been doing and that\u2019s why it makes him successful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cowan enjoying ‘Never Hungry League’ despite fake-bill prank by Matthews, Domi The rookie dinner bill is a right of passage for first-year athletes across all sports and Easton Cowan had a good scare during the Leafs team dinner the other day. While he wouldn’t expand on how much was on the fake bill that was presented to him, Cowan says moments like that go a long way in building relationships. The Leafs rookie also spoke about a new food he experienced for the first, and maybe last, time. <\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

After a day off on Wednesday, William Nylander<\/a> missed Thursday\u2019s skate for \u201cmaintenance\u201d but will play against the Rangers, per Berube. <\/p>\n

After missing the last two games with an upper-body injury, winger Steven Lorentz<\/a> is cleared to play, but will not draw back into the Leafs lineup on Thursday. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe last two games have been really good,\u201d Berube explained. \u201cSo, you know, just gonna keep the lineup the same, and that\u2019s all it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lorentz, who signed a three-year extension in the summer, did not sit out any games as a healthy scratch last year. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s an important player,\u201d Berube said. \u201cWe all like him, we want him [in], but, you know, sometimes, these are the decisions coaches gotta make and they\u2019re not easy for the guys that aren\u2019t playing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leafs Ice Chips: Maintenance morning for Nylander; Lorentz sits as healthy scratch William Nylander is coming off his best game this season in a win against the Predators but missed out on Thursday’s morning skate. TSN’s Mark Masters has more on Nylander’s absence, Craig Berube’s decision to make Steven Lorentz a healthy scratch for tonight’s game against the Rangers and the challenge New York presents. <\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

For the second time this season, the Leafs will be playing at the same time as a Blue Jays playoff game. During the Leafs season opener, fans inside Scotiabank Arena reacted with loud cheers when the video board showing the Jays leading the New York Yankees. There was even a \u2018Let\u2019s Go Blue Jays\u2019 chant. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s great,\u201d said Matthews. \u201cEspecially liked when they would show the scoreboard and they were winning and the crowd would get a good kick out of that. Obviously we\u2019re all rooting for them in their series and … been really fun to follow them.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the Jays pulled ahead of the Yankees in Game 4 of the American League Division Series last Wednesday, the Leafs were piling up three goals in the third period to complete a comeback win over the Montreal Canadiens<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt carries a little momentum for sure if they\u2019re doing well and the crowd\u2019s into it and loud,\u201d said Tanev. \u201cIt\u2019s been a good crowd so far this year, so hopefully that continues tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tanev is a big Jays fan, but didn\u2019t watch all of Wednesday\u2019s game in Seattle, which started a little after 8 pm ET. <\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t stay up long,\u201d Tanev said. \u201cI only watched three innings and then I was in the sheets.\u201d<\/p>\n

But the Toronto native went to bed knowing the Jays were in a really good spot. <\/p>\n

\u201cI figured, unless something catastrophic happened, they were going to continue on to a win,\u201d Tanev said with a smile. <\/p>\n

Leafs hope to benefit from extra buzz in the building with Jays game also on tonight The Maple Leafs are just starting their season but the Blue Jays are right in the thick of the MLB playoffs, which has brought some extra energy to the city of Toronto, especially when both teams are in action on the same night. Auston Matthews and Chris Tanev spoke about the atmosphere in the building when the Jays’ score is shown while Rangers forward Matt Rempe said he is more of a Mariners fan. <\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

Lines at Leafs skate:<\/p>\n

Knies – Matthews – Cowan<\/p>\n

Maccelli – Tavares – Lorentz*<\/p>\n

McMann – Domi – Robertson<\/p>\n

Joshua – Roy – Jarnkrok<\/p>\n

Blais<\/p>\n

Rielly – Carlo<\/p>\n

McCabe – Tanev<\/p>\n

Benoit – Ekman-Larsson<\/p>\n

Myers<\/p>\n

Stolarz starts<\/p>\n

Primeau<\/p>\n

*Nylander absent <\/p>\n

Power-play units at Leafs skate: <\/p>\n

QB: Rielly<\/p>\n

Flanks: Matthews, Cowan*<\/p>\n

Middle: Tavares<\/p>\n

Net front: Knies<\/p>\n

QB: Ekman-Larsson<\/p>\n

Flanks: Domi, Maccelli<\/p>\n

Middle: Robertson<\/p>\n

Net front: McMann<\/p>\n

*Nylander absent <\/p>\n

Related Stories<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Maple Leafs and New York Rangers (optional) skated at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday. — Leafs rookie Easton…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":218282,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[433],"tags":[712,81998,49,48,99783,448,82,74650,86762],"class_list":["post-218281","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nhl","tag-apple-news","tag-auston-matthews-sports-hockey-player-player-nhl-api-8479318","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-easton-cowan-sports-hockey-player-player-nhl-api-8484158","tag-nhl","tag-sports","tag-toronto-maple-leafs-sports-hockey-team-team-nhl-api-10","tag-william-nylander-sports-hockey-player-player-nhl-api-8477939"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/218281","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=218281"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/218281\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/218282"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=218281"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=218281"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=218281"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}