For the second time in as many years, Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan will get the chance to represent Canada at the 2025 World Juniors which will take place in Ottawa.

He returns to the tournament a lot more experienced and with plenty of motivation to right the wrongs of how the tournament ended for him and the team last year. That shot at redemption for Cowan nearly evaporated when he got hurt in an OHL game recently from a hit Oshawa Generals defenceman Zack Sandhu in a game on December 6.

When speaking with TSN’s Mark Masters after his first full practice since the ailment, Cowan said he feels good now and is taking his recovery day by day while not rushing things.

“It was a clean hit,” he said on the hit that knocked him out of the game. “I had my head down. I just have to be more aware. Unfortunately, I didn’t see him coming. Usually I can see that, but didn’t see it there. I’m pretty sure I’ll be more aware now.”

The hit in question overshadowed what was otherwise a memorable game for Cowan as he also set an unofficial OHL record for the longest point streak at 56 games that night. He got a text from a Leafs legend and the official record holder Doug Gilmour after the game to congratulate him on his accomplishment.

Cowan was appreciative of the support from one of the icons of the team he grew up cheering for, but he simultaneously did not want to be consumed by the point streak.

“Obviously it’s cool. He’s a Leafs legend so to get that text meant a lot to me, but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” he said. “Honestly, you try not to think about it. But then a guy here and there brings it up by accident and they’re like, ‘Sorry, sorry.’ It doesn’t bother me if someone brings it up. It is what it is.”

A supporting cast during his last appearance at the World Juniors, Cowan goes into this tournament as one of Canada’s key players who will be relied on in all situations. During the aforementioned practice, he skated on a line with Colorado Avalanche prospect Calum Ritchie and a 2026 Draft eligible phenom in Gavin McKenna, which showed early signs of chemistry between the three top prospects. Team Canada coach Dave Cameron spoke of his excitement of getting to lean on the Leafs’ top prospect throughout the World Juniors.

As for Cowan, he is using the pain of losing in the quarterfinals of last year’s tournament as fuel to flip the script this time around

“I want to be a guy on this team that can help in any way. Whether we’re down a goal or up a goal or in any situation. I just want to be a versatile player, and I feel like I can do that,” he said “Obviously it sucked, but that was last year, and we’re focused on this year. We’re just ready to get started and get going here.”

Canada will play in three pre-tournament games beginning on Thursday against Switzerland. They will kick off the 2025 World Juniors with a game against Finland on December 26th at the Canadian Tire Centre.

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