Are the Maple Leafs making a mistake with how they're using Easton Cowan?
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Easton Cowan was recently recalled to help the Maple Leafs through injuries, though his usage has sparked debate about whether the Leafs are using him the right way.
Having debuted early on this season then being sent down to the American Hockey League, Easton Cowan has found himself back in the Maple Leafs lineup while the team navigates through injuries.
He had a few looks offensively but couldn't convert, and still logged meaningful power play minutes; rare for a newcomer.
But two analysts in Sam McKee and JD Bunkis took issue with that usage, as McKee and Bunkis shared their thoughts on Leafs Talk on Sportsnet.
Why some believe the Leafs are putting too much on Cowan's plate
Bunkis noted that during Saturday's game against Chicago, the longer things went on the more he noticed Cowan letting his anger show, and the constant pressure may have started to wear on him:
He looks like he's starting to get a bit frustrated, which scares me. And having him around this team with all these bad vibes, I just don't love. They flashed to him on the bench a couple of times and he just looked like an overwhelmed kid.
Cowan had a rough game on Saturday, taking the team's only two penalties including a costly delay-of-game penalty on a puck over the glass.
The forward just simply lofted the puck out of his zone over the boards as opposed to firing a shot at the boards or even down the ice. An icing is much more preferable to being down a man.
He was given multiple chances but couldn't capitalize yet Berube felt the need to play Cowan for 16:37 and give him the most shifts ever in his young NHL career.
What this handling of Cowan says about the Leafs' development philosophy
That didn't sit well with the other side of the table where McKee was less than thrilled about Cowan's usage, and that he believes Craig Berube is panicking about his future, and not the future of the team:
To me, it just screams a coach that is feeling the heat and he thinks [Cowan] is one of his best six guys.
He does not care about development, he does not care about anyone's feelings, he's playing him because he thinks he needs to win to keep his job.
He does not care about development, he does not care about anyone's feelings, he's playing him because he thinks he needs to win to keep his job.
That's McKee's interpretation of Berube's usage, not a report on the coach's actual intentions, mind you.
Cowan very well could be one of the team's best six players, he could even turn into their best.
But he isn't there now and to trust him over guys who may not have the flashiness or hype around them might lead to some tension.
For example, Bobby McMann played only 10:35 on Saturday, but had scored twice in his past two games and has three points in his last five.
Of course, deployment isn't just about boxscore production, but it raises a fair question about who's being trusted in key moments.
It's something Bunkis noted, and he questioned whether or not Cowan deserves all the extra minutes:
I don't like giving Cowan everything right out of the gate. Earn it.
Both men contrasted that to Matthew Knies -- another future top star for the team. He was asked to drive his own line on Saturday, shake things up from the norm, looked very comfortable, and set the pace with four hits.
It was something they both noted as a positive, and with a lot of excitement as to what Knies will do in the future, they agreed getting a head start on leading is a big plus so credit to Berube there.
We know that Craig Berube historically has used young rookies in the past as a way to inject a new dynamic into his lineup.
With Easton Cowan, the Leafs have to decide whether fast-tracking his responsibilities is smart development -- or a risk that hurts both him and the team.
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