‘This Would possibly Have Been His Greatest Offseason But’: Why Coach Trevor Williamson believes Prospect Easton Cowan is Prepared for the Subsequent Step with Maple Leafs

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September 12, 2024

The story of Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan is one which Leafs nation will likely be following intently within the coming weeks. With NHL coaching camps on the horizon, the younger ahead has made his intentions clear – he needs to make the membership’s opening evening roster. His offseason has been marked by dedication and a want to succeed in the subsequent degree, a course of that has not gone unnoticed by his energy and conditioning coach, Trevor Williamson.

Williamson, the director of energy and conditioning at ‘Epic Sports activities Centre’ close to Cowan’s hometown of Mount Brydges, in addition to the pinnacle energy and conditioning coach with the London Knights, has labored intently with Cowan all through the summer time to assist him put together for the subsequent part of his profession.

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In an exclusive one-on-one interview with TSN’s Mark Masters on Saturday, Williamson detailed Cowan’s offseason willpower, progress, and readiness to compete for a spot with the Leafs out of coaching camp following the disappointing end on the 2024 Memorial Cup.

“When he got here again (from the Memorial Cup), you would see it on his face – he was rattled, so unhappy about it. However he used that each single day,” Williamson informed Masters. “It was sort of like an ongoing joke in the summertime: little inches each single day are going to make the distinction. He used that for gas. He needs to win. He hated how he misplaced – I imply all of us did – however you possibly can inform that deeply motivated him.”

“I believe he’s going to be phenomenal (this season). This may need been his finest offseason but, he’s labored so exhausting, he’s gotten manner stronger, his pace and energy – every part has gone up. He’s crushing it. He is aware of what it means to be a professional.”

“He is gotten manner stronger. His pace, his energy, every part’s gone up. He is crushing it”

Energy & conditioning coach Trevor Williamson presents inside have a look at Easton Cowan’s quest to make Leafs

“Simply the scale that he is placed on, he is positively succesful”👇https://t.co/2qCEEZCwsU

— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) September 7, 2024

Regardless of nearly engaging in every part he may in junior, except for successful a Memorial Cup, Cowan believes there’s nonetheless room for enchancment. The soar from junior to professional is critical, significantly in terms of energy, muscle, and dimension. Cowan has labored tirelessly this offseason, with noticeable enhancements as he prepares for NHL-level competitors.

“Simply attempting to get him prepared for the professionals within the sense of getting just a little bit greater, extra dimension, extra muscle – that’s at all times what the NHL groups need,” Williamson stated. “However sustaining that pace, that energy, that agility. Quite a lot of emphasis on placing on good stable muscle however getting quicker, getting faster, extra agile, staying at his prime pace and making him as environment friendly as attainable that manner.”

What has been most notable to Williamson is Cowan’s mentality to ‘be the very best.’ Identified for his aggressive nature, the 19-year-old is concentrated on excelling in areas that he can management.

“If somebody is doing one thing after their exercise the place they should enhance their conditioning, Cowan’s like, ‘I’m doing that, like what are we doing, let’s go.’ He’s simply continually attempting to get higher at that stuff,” Williamson emphasised.

“He would simply by no means draw back from the stuff that’s not likely probably the most enjoyable within the health club nevertheless it’s very, essential. And yeah, he simply is aware of, he’s like, ‘I wish to be probably the most conditioned athlete on the ice, off the ice. I wish to do the very best at issues I can management instantly.’”

The participant referred to as the ‘Cowboy’ opted to skip the Knights’ coaching camp within the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) to deal with the Leafs’ rookie and important camp. At 19, Cowan has two choices: he can both play for the Leafs within the NHL or return to the OHL and play his fourth season with the Knights. Step one in proving himself was introduced on Tuesday, as Cowan was named to the Leafs’ prospect roster for the Prospect Showdown in Montreal this weekend.

“I believe it’s nice for him,” Williamson stated. “Simply extra time with grown-ups – full-fledged NHL adults and wonderful hockey athletes. Guys which can be up and coming, your AHL guys, so attending to exercise with them, skate with them, observe with them, simply sort of develop at that NHL degree is phenomenal publicity for him. It’s positively going to be quicker, extra superior, so I believe {that a} terrific sort of addition to his end-of-season coaching is to only go and tune up and prepare for the professionals.”

When requested if he believes Cowan may crack the Maple Leafs’ lineup this season, Williamson sounded optimistic.

“I believe he in all probability may. It’s so exhausting to guess and say the place he’s going to finish up, however the dimension that he’s placed on – he’s positively succesful. His maturity is there, his thought course of is there, his perspective is a hundred percent there, and his work ethic goes to be with the highest guys on the crew – irrespective of the place he finally ends up. I believe he positively may, he’s prepared.”

“Easton simply picks issues up in a short time and if he’s dangerous at it, he’ll work tougher than anyone to get good at it.”

As NHL coaching camps method, all eyes will likely be on Cowan to see if his offseason dedication earns him a spot on the Leafs’ roster. The previous first-round choose (twenty eighth total) within the 2023 NHL Entry Draft has continued to impress, and making the crew stays his prime precedence, as he acknowledged on the ultimate day of improvement camp in July.

“I wish to make the crew,” Cowan informed reporters. “That is at all times been my objective. I wish to play within the NHL at some point, and I am feeling very assured, so I’ve simply obtained to return into camp, and be a really dependable participant, somebody the coach can belief. I’ve simply obtained to study sport administration a bit higher, and I believe I will be good.”

Cowan had a career-high 96 factors in 54 common season video games, surpassing his earlier 53-point whole in 2022-23. He led the London Knights to an OHL championship (the J. Ross Robertson Cup) and a Memorial Cup Closing berth. Throughout the playoffs, Cowan led the league with 34 factors (10G, 24A) and earned the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award as OHL Playoff MVP.