Toronto Maple Leafs training camp is officially underway and there’s one London Knights alum whose name will be stealing headlines over the next month. And no, we’re not talking about Mitch Marner.

Easton Cowan has been one of the most highly-touted Leafs prospects since being drafted in the first round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Heading into training camp this season, there’s a real opportunity for the 20-year-old to showcase what he can do to try and push for a roster spot with the Maple Leafs this season.

So on the first day of training camp, that was one of the burning questions, is there a chance Cowan could make his NHL debut this year? Here’s what General Manager Brad Treliving had to say on the matter:

“There’s opportunity here,” he said. “If you just look at our roster right now, there’s more bodies than seats, right? That to me is a good thing, there’s competition. If you can help us win, if you’re 20 or 35, we don’t really care what your birth certificate says. If you can help us win, you’re gonna get an opportunity.”

Treliving then touched specifically on Cowan. He acknowledged the excitement around the young player as the fresh face in town, especially with everything he accomplished last season, and said the impression he makes at training camp will decide his fate this year.

“I think him going back to London (last year) was 100 percent the right move,” Treliving said. “He had an exceptional year, he won a championship, went through a lot of development not just on the ice, but off it. I think he’s ready now to push to be on the team. Is that now, is that October, is that a year from now? The players will decide. Really, it does come down to that.”

Cowan finished his time with the London Knights with 84 goals and 220 points in 175 games played. In his last season in juniors, he had 29 goals and and 69 points in 46 games, adding 13 goals and 39 points in 17 playoff appearances. With Marner gone, the obvious has been stated time and again in comparing the two players and what Cowan can bring in his absence, salivating at his numbers in the OHL. But Treliving offers a caution on placing high expectations on him right away.

“It takes time to develop physically, it takes time to develop the game,” he said.

With everything he’s done in juniors, it’s hard to put that anticipation for Cowan’s potential debut at bay. No matter what, if it’s in the AHL or the NHL, he’ll be one to watch this season.