Maple Leafs insider reveals that Easton Cowan may be available via trade

After another disappointing playoff failure, the Toronto Maple Leafs were forced to be aggressive in free agency this year, and ultimately, it's left them in a bit of a salary cap crunch. This is also a team that's chasing a Stanley Cup, a trophy they've not won since the 1966 season, and while Brad Treliving has said that rising star Easton Cowan is off the board, he may be forced to make a move.

That is according to Maple Leafs reporter Jonas Siegel, who lists Cowan as a major trade chip with the Maple Leafs looking to replace the hole left by Tyler Bertuzzi in their forward group.

With many teams out there looking to get younger as they move towards a rebuild (the Calgary Flames being the perfect example), Toronto could capitalize on the cap space of those teams and unload a bad contract or two alongside Cowan to get a major return. In 2023/24 with the London Knights, Cowan tallied 34 goals and 96 points in just 54 games played, and while his height may be a question mark, his future in the NHL is bright.

Now, it's up to Brad Treliving and Brendan Shanahan to decide whether or not a potential return for him in a trade is more valuable or if they can wait out his development, because if it's the former, expect big trade offers to come in immediately.

Source: Maple Leafs Daily
Maple Leafs reporter hints that Easton Cowan could be traded