Easton Cowan looks good with red Maple Leaf as Canada wins world juniors opener

OTTAWA — The pressure won't faze Easton Cowan.

Being a Toronto Maple Leafs prospect playing on Canadian ice at the world junior championship might be daunting for some youngsters, but Cowan is embracing the challenge.

“That's just who I've always been. I like having pressure,” the Canadian forward said. “I like people always watching you and seeing what you're doing.”

In his team's first game of the tournament, a 4-0 win against Finland on Thursday, the winger demonstrated how vital he is to Canada’s success.

Cowan is a tireless worker. He is small and slight at six feet, 185 pounds, but he doesn’t look like it in the corners or when he’s dragging the puck around. He pushes players off his back.

In the first period against Finland, the London Knights star and his line had multiple shifts hemming in the Finns. Eventually they would break the dam: Cowan stole the puck in the corner leading to a flurry of chances finished off by young phenom Gavin McKenna, who was left alone because Cowan preoccupied the Finn defenders at the netfront.

Since being drafted by Toronto — his childhood team — Cowan has emulated Leafs star and former Knight Mitch Marner, another small but prodigiously talented winger.

“We hung out a lot during team activities at training camp,” Cowan said. “He’s welcomed me in, with open arms. 

“I’m kind of like his kid or younger brother.”

Cowan did his best impersonation of his mentor Thursday.

In the second period Cowan had his head on a swivel in Marner-esque fashion, trying to pickpocket pucks. Eventually, it worked. Cowan smartly read a passing lane to intercept a puck and walked into a bullet of a wrister top corner to put Canada up 2-0.

Like Marner, he has a focus on shooting more.

“I want to shoot it,” said Cowan post-game. “I want to show them I’m a dual threat and found my spot. I picked it.”

How has he improved? Well, yes, with the advice of another future Leafs teammate, who happens to have the best shot in the NHL.

“Talking to (Auston) Matthews. He’s taught me a lot of how to shoot, know what to do and stuff. So, he's helped me out a lot.

“Just (worked) on my one-timers, how to hit the puck and where to hit it."

Canadian goaltender Carter George, who was spectacular in the shutout, called Cowan’s shot “deceptive” after the game.

Where does he get that laser of a shot from despite his smaller frame?

He grew up on a farm in the small town of Strathroy, Ont., near London. He credits some of his strength to his farming days when he’d work with his dad.

“Definitely not as strong as my dad or my grandpa, their forearms are probably twice the size of mine,” Cowan said. “But, maybe I got a bit of it in the back of my blood.”

Cowan's nickname is "Cowboy" because of his roots growing up in the countryside. He doesn’t like to back down from a fight, even from his own teammates: in this tournament fellow Knight and Finland winger Kasper Halttunen.

On Christmas Day, instead of being full of good cheer, Halttunen walked onto the ice during the Canadian practice to throw some verbal jabs at Cowan.

“He knows I don't like Bauer helmets (because) it hurts my head a lot. So, he was chirping at me about that. He was telling me it looks good, but I don't know if it really does. So, he knows I'm picky, so it was pretty funny.”

Cowan chose verbal violence ahead of the game against Finland to prepare for playing Halttunen.

“I'll be doing my research tonight, I’ll be texting some of the buddies back home in London, to get some insight on him.”

He got the last laugh on the scoreboard and on the ice.  Cowan started the game going after Konsta Hellenius, leading to a shoving match between Hellenius, Cowan and Canadian defenceman Matthew Schaefer.

“Just trying to get under his skin,” said Cowan post-game.

However, Halttunen did get a shot in at Cowan.

“I was getting by their bench. He (Halttunen) accidentally got me with his stick. I'll be texting later, maybe,” said Cowan.

Cowan used his own stick to drive the play on what should be Canada’s best line with Calum Ritchie and Bradly Nadeau. Against Finland, the line was electric, generating high-quality chances regularly. They combined for 15 points in three pre-tournament games, including Cowan’s first hat-trick since who knows when? (That includes Cowan himself).

“Probably major peewee, maybe even before that, I haven't had a hat in a long time. A little monkey off the back but looking to do it in a real game here.”

Cowan is a maestro of collecting points, currently on a 56-game point streak in the OHL.

Canada will need that consistency the rest of the tournament.

Cowan yearns to play in the biggest moments of the world juniors ahead of what he hopes is a long, productive career in Toronto.

“It's been special,” Cowan said about getting drafted by Toronto. “That's where I wanted to be, and I'm happy.”

“There's a lot of attention in the Leafs media and being a Leafs prospect. I feel like it's matured me a lot.”

If he can continue to thrive when donning a Maple Leaf of the red variety, it will bode well for Canada in this tournament and his future wearing Leafs blue.