Maple Leafs Prospects Cowan & Danford Had Strong Showings in OHL Final – The Hockey Writers – Toronto Maple Leafs

While the Toronto Maple Leafs are still in the midst of their playoff run, they got results from two of their top prospects in the system with strong performances in the Ontario Hockey League playoffs. 

Maple Leafs fans got the chance to witness the postseason play of both Easton Cowan and Ben Danford as both players met each other in the OHL final. The London Knights and Cowan came out on top over the Oshawa Generals and Danford, winning the series 4-1, but it was a great matchup between two of Ontario’s best teams.  

As a result, there was a lot to like for Maple Leafs fans in regards to overall play of the prospects and the steps taken with their development.

Cowan Showing He’s Ready for Next Step

Cowan was a constant play driver, taking charge of every shift and controlling the pace of play. Whenever he was on the ice, he was always creating something when the puck was on his stick. He surpassed his OHL postseason production from his 34 points last season with 39 this season. In the process, he set the Knights franchise playoff point record as he has 94 points during three postseason runs. His 2.29 points per game in the playoffs has him ranked 32^nd in one OHL season, per QuantHockey. 

The Knights decimated the competition with three sweeps and the final series going to five games. Cowan’s skill and creativity was on full display during their road to the OHL Championship. With his energy, ability to manoeuvre in tight spaces, speed, smarts and awareness on both sides of the puck, Cowan was dominant on the ice. It’s something that would sit right with the Maple Leafs as he continues with his development. At this point, he appears ready for the pro level next season. 

There were plenty of moments that reassured that, opting to keep things simple and making the right decisions with the puck. There were some moments where he made some high-risk plays, but it still paid off. 

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For example, there was this play leading to Sam O’Reilly’s goal. Cowan went from low to high, walking the blue line and making an extra move or two at the edge of the offensive zone. Though he didn’t panic or break his stride, keeping his feet moving. He found a passing outlet to open things up and the puck was eventually in the back of the net. Sometimes plays like that could hurt as it can lead to a turnover but Cowan was confident enough to still make it, not lose his speed in the process and protected the puck very well.  

When he was drafted, the Maple Leafs liked his ability to step up in big games. After falling short of a Memorial Cup last season and that being on his mind, as well as the team, he has another crack at it. Cowan was once again dialled in this time around. He continued to step up as one of the leaders and top producers in the postseason for the Knights. 

Danford’s Intensity & Defensive Game Standing Out

Although the Generals were completely outmatched by the Knights, despite having a strong roster of their own, Danford was a pillar on the defensive side of things. The Generals’ captain was a shot blocking machine for them, getting into lanes very easily and taking as much time and space away from shooters as possible.

Any chance there was for him to lay it on the line and give any chance for his team to win, he did it. This was just one of the blocks that stood out, going head first into a Sam Dickinson shot. Although it was a risky play and it could’ve been a serious injury, Danford did what he needed to do to give his team a fighting chance. When you talk about warriors in the postseason like a Chris Tanev, Danford was giving off that kind of vibe.

He was constantly engaging and pressuring puck carriers, showing a physical, yet calm demeanour on the backend. He was intense, competitive and did the best to make sure that nothing got through to the net. Those are clearly the traits the Maple Leafs liked when they selected him in the first-round in 2024 and if he can find a little more offense to his game, he could very well be even more impactful. His postseason production did take a step back as he had five points– with an assist coming short-handed– compared to the 10 he had last postseason. 

While his offensive game isn’t quite there, he was effective on the breakouts and his transitional game was noticeable as he was very well composed when exiting his zone. You can rely on him to play big minutes, block pucks effectively and be a leader on and off the ice. His defensive mindset, intensity and physical play are his trademarks in his game and that is what drew a lot of fans in during the OHL Final.

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Cowan and the Knights once again got the best of Danford and the Generals this season winning the Championship. Now that they may not face each other again at the junior level, they can now look forward to being future teammates with the Maple Leafs. Cowan’s motor, skill and complete two-way play and Danford’s ability to be a solid defensive stalwart on the backend could very well work in the Maple Leafs favour for the future.

There isn’t any doubt that they will be key pieces to this team.

Statistics from QuantHockey.