Before the bright lights of packed arenas, Easton Cowan was just a kid skating on a homemade rink behind his grandfather’s house in Mount Brydges.

Those backyard mornings and the lessons learned on his family’s farm still shape the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect as he prepares to take the next step in his career.

Cowan, born in Strathroy in 2005 and raised in nearby Mount Brydges, quickly has become one of the Leafs’ most talked-about prospects.

In his first season of eligibility, he was drafted 28th overall by Toronto in 2023 and, soon after, signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Leafs. Now, he’s fresh off a decorated run with the London Knights, including back-to-back OHL championships and a Memorial Cup MVP title this spring.

“I feel like I’m getting closer and closer to m

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