Two Maple Leafs Prospects Likely to Play for Team Canada at the World Juniors
Hockey insiders have now predicted how Team Canada will look for this year's World Juniors, and these two Leafs are expected to make a splash.
Cowan and Minten Expected to Make Team Canada World Junior Team
The Toronto Maple Leafs have a deep prospect pool that includes several outstanding players, and this year, it looks like two of them have a shot at making Team Canada's World Junior roster. The Athletic's Scott Wheeler and Corey Pronman recently released their projected lineups for Team Canada, and both Fraser Minten and Easton Cowan cracked the list.
Building out Team Canada is going to be a game of figuring out which natural centres to move to the wing. Five of the eight so-called wingers here have either taken more than 100 faceoffs in junior (Conor Geekie, Frasen Minten, Easton Cowan, Denver Barkey) this year or would have if they hadn't started with the NHL/AHL club (Matthew Savoie).
I think you can expect Macklin Celebrini, Nate Danielson and Owen Beck to be locks down the middle, though, which really only leaves one job up for grabs. I've pencilled Breydan Yager into it because it made sense to keep him with Moose Jaw teammate and frequent linemate Jagger Firkus. This group is deeper in right-shot wingers than left-shot ones so it made more sense for guys like Geekie and Minten (both lefties) to go over.
I think you can expect Macklin Celebrini, Nate Danielson and Owen Beck to be locks down the middle, though, which really only leaves one job up for grabs. I've pencilled Breydan Yager into it because it made sense to keep him with Moose Jaw teammate and frequent linemate Jagger Firkus. This group is deeper in right-shot wingers than left-shot ones so it made more sense for guys like Geekie and Minten (both lefties) to go over.
Both Minten and Cowan had extremely good NHL camps this year with the Toronto Maple Leafs, as Minten stayed for his 4 games at the beginning of the year before being sent back to junior. Cowan also impressed, staying much longer through camp than many expected.
Easton Cowan going from unexpected 1st rounder to projected to make Canada's WJHC team as an �05 is wild
fraser minten + easton cowan on team Canada
Cowan Predicted to Play on Team Canada's Fourth Line as an 18-Year-Old
Easton Cowan is one of the most interesting draft picks by the Leafs in recent history. He wasn't well known by many before the Leafs picked him 28th overall this year. Now, he has made his mark after a successful first training camp with the Leafs.
Easton Cowan throwing hands #LeafsForever
Wheeler and Pronman have predicted that Cowan will get some penalty-killing minutes for Team Canada while playing on their fourth line, as he brings the speed and intensity that Team Canada's fourth lines are well known for.
EASTON COWAN 🚨
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As seen on The Athletic - "World juniors 2024 roster predictions: We pick Canada, USA, Sweden and Finland"
| POLL | ||
21 NOVEMBRE | 676 ANSWERS Two Maple Leafs Prospects Likely to Play for Team Canada at the World Juniors Do you think Cowan will make the Leafs next year? | ||
| Yes | 460 | 68 % |
| No | 216 | 32 % |
| List of polls | ||
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