The Toronto Maple Leafs weren't supposed to struggle this season.
And so as the NHL's trade season approaches, the Leafs may feel the pressure to make a move and get things rolling in the right direction.
That could put Easton Cowan's future in Toronto at risk, according to The Athletic's Harman Dayal.
Dayal goes on to say the Maple Leafs need to be smart about not giving up Cowan for a cause that may not be worth pursuing.
"I’d argue the Leafs should stand pat (or make a cheap, depth acquisition at most) because they aren’t one piece away from winning a Stanley Cup," Dayal writes. "The Leafs shouldn’t mortgage the future by trading away an Easton Cowan or Ben Danford."
There are multiple factors at play, though, including job security.
"We’ll see if Toronto’s front office can actually stomach standing pat, though," Dayal writes. "GM Brad Treliving may feel pressure to avoid a playoff miss for the sake of his own job security, which could incentivize him to make a significant addition or two."
Cowan is one of the Maple Leafs' only notable young players, and he's begun to show more and more flashes of being a crucial piece down the road in Toronto.
The Leafs can't afford to let a bumpy season ruin their future just to chase a path out of the rut they're in.
"Toronto’s underlying metrics are sketchy (rank 31st and 26th in five-on-five shot attempt and expected goal share, respectively), the blue line is a question mark (especially given Chris Tanev’s uncertain long-term injury status), and the team is clearly missing Mitch Marner’s elite two-way impact," Dayal writes. "Moreover, because the Leafs have pushed their chips into the middle in so many previous years, they’re asset-poor. They’re already missing their first and second-round picks this year (and only have three 2026 draft picks total), and have also traded away their 2027 first and third-round picks. Their prospect pool is also below average."
None of it sounds ideal.
The least they can do is keep Cowan around to try and make the future brighter.
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