Toronto Maple Leafs forward Easton Cowan is projected to make his NHL debut on Monday against the Detroit Red Wings and can’t wait for the opportunity ahead.

Cowan was placed on Toronto’s first line alongside Matthew Knies and Auston Matthews during Sunday’s practice session, providing the 20-year-old with a golden opportunity to thrive among two star forwards. Throughout training camp, Cowan was deployed in a fourth line role but he has the hockey intelligence and tenacity to potentially thrive in a top-six role, and now it remains to be seen whether he can generate enough offence to remain on the top line.

“I feel confident. I feel like I’m ready for this, so I’m just gonna take it all in, enjoy it and have some fun,” Cowan said Sunday via Jesse Blake of SDPN.

Cowan is coming off a tour-de-force major junior career with the London Knights, where he won Memorial Cup MVP last season. He rose quickly through the Maple Leafs’ ranks and is the organization’s top-rated prospect, after being selected in the first round of the 2023 NHL Draft.

It will be a special night for Cowan and his family, especially for a player who grew up as a Maple Leafs fan. Cowan will certainly have his circle in attendance for debut, and spoke about playing in front of the Scotiabank Arena crowd.

“I think that makes it that much more special. Lots of family and friends and obviously in front of the awesome Toronto fans,” Cowan said.

So what exactly is head coach Craig Berube looking for during Cowan’s debut?

“He’s a guy that gets down low in the offensive zone. I’d like to get that line some more possession, some more plays. He does that stuff,” Berube said Sunday.

Cowan’s tenacious approach to winning pucks back certainly speaks to the qualities that Berube wants out of the first-line right wing. Knies and Matthews will be hunting for goals and using Cowan for puck retrievals, knowing he has high-end playmaking skills, may be the optimized role for the Leafs’ promising rookie. All eyes are on Cowan during Monday’s game, and playing alongside a former Hart Trophy winner will only magnify the stakes, for the third game of the regular season.