Easton Cowan expected back tonight as Maple Leafs weigh who comes out

As the Toronto Maple Leafs become more and more like sellers, they are going to have a lot of lineup shuffling to do in the future, so they're already preparing for things and finally giving Easton Cowan another shot.

According to a report from TSN's Darren Dreger, the Maple Leafs are expected to put Cowan back in the lineup but there's no indication of who would be taken out for the rookie:

It's been a frustrating month for Cowan fans as the Maple Leafs not only didn't play him regularly enough, but just enough to prohibit him from getting more reps at the AHL level.

He's been relegated to practices and in the midst of a two-week break regardless it has to be disheartening to see your spot taken out for no real discernible reason.

This season hasn't been an abject failure for Cowan, not at all. In 43 games he has 17 points (7 goals, 10 assists) and is showing a lot of heart, always fighting for pucks and giving 100% every time he steps on the ice -- though he isn't perfect obviously.

The Maple Leafs are not in a good spot right now, and there should be no real reason why Cowan hasn't been playing consistently especially if this season is a loss.

Why management decided it was a good idea to sit on their hands and wait until the last moment to give him another shot is yet an additional piece of mismanagement that has plagued Toronto all throughout the season.

If Keith Pelley wanted to do everything necessary to help the team, he'd see what their future holds you'd think.

If anything, Calle Jarnkrok would be the person taken out, and with his time in Toronto coming to an end shortly, it makes sense to throw Cowan on the third or fourth line; perhaps reuniting him with Nic Roy and Nick Robertson.

All we can do now is wait and see how Craig Berube wants to use Cowan, or if one minor error is going to glue him to the bench yet again and the Maple Leafs not only have a frustrated fanbase, but one seriously disheartened rookie.

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