Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube says 20-year-old winger is ready for NHL stage

The Toronto Maple Leafs ended their pre-season with a tight overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night. Yet one young player caught the eye of coach Craig Berube in a big way. After seeing Easton Cowan play in five out of six games, Berube feels the 20-year-old is set for the NHL. With the real season starting Wednesday against the Montreal Canadiens, fans feel excited about Cowan possibly playing right away. This first-round pick from 2023 showed heart and smarts that fit the pro level well.

Craig Berube highlights Easto Cowan’s energy and smarts on the ice

Craig Berube spoke openly after the game about how Easton Cowan can handle NHL action without any big issues. He highlighted the young player’s endless energy on every shift and his sharp decisions during fast plays. “Yeah, I think he is”, Berube said with full confidence about Cowan’s readiness for the top league. 

“My mind’s pretty free right now. I got no worries.”

Easton Cowan packed on seven pounds of muscle during the summer & is ready to push for a job with the Leafs

“I’m definitely stronger, bigger & faster — it’s the best I’ve ever felt coming into camp”👇https://t.co/KaxeUOh0yk

— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) September 12, 2025

These words hit just right as the team makes its last cuts before opening night. Cowan talked about changing his mindset this year by staying calm and not overthinking things at camp. That free approach let him play strong defense and offense together, growing his trust in his skills each day. Sure, he only got two assists in pre-season, but his steady, hard work stood out to all. Berube noted that Cowan pushed too hard at times in the last game, yet his overall push stayed strong and smart. 

On Sunday off, Cowan looks forward to eating breakfast and watching football with prospect Ben Danford while waiting for good team news. This mix of full speed and clever play puts Cowan in line for a bottom-six spot, getting Leafs fans all pumped up.

Roster decisions loom large with young talents stepping up

Now that pre-season is done, the Maple Leafs must pick who stays on the main roster for the regular games ahead. Berube said hard decisions wait, mixing old pros with fresh faces like Cowan’s full talent. At the same time, other guys grabbed their shots in the final game, giving coaches more good picks to think about. 

good work by Cowan on the board battle but he’s called for holding pic.twitter.com/bL291ZIpoI

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 5, 2025

Nick Robertson had a top game, netting a short-handed goal and taking lots of shots with real fire, which Berube called brutal and spot-on. In goal, Dennis Hildeby stayed cool in the first part, using summer work to lift his save rate to the highest on the team during exhibitions. Since Joseph Woll deals with family stuff, Hildeby might back up Anthony Stolarz from day one, feeling way more sure in the pro room after two years around it. 

Old hand James Reimer, trying out, got comfy fast even with goals on power plays, and he joked lightly with old pal Dylan Larkin after the match. Practice setups show possible lines, with Cowan joining a lower group if he makes it. All these steps show the team leaning on young drive to power their run this season. As picks wrap up, this tough and able group sets up fun action versus Montreal soon.