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NHL·ANALYSIS·October 8, 2026 08:06 PM ET

Maple Leafs move Cowan to line with Tavares in practice

McKenna drops to the third unit in latest lineup shuffle.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated 1h1 min read
Post on X
Leafs Ice Chips from @markhmasters - Cowan earns look with Tavares; McKenna drops to third line: https://t.co/X9LsFMUWlL Via @TSNHockey on X

What happened: Easton Cowan is getting a look alongside John Tavares at Toronto Maple Leafs practice, per TSN's Mark Masters, while Gavin McKenna has been moved down to the third line.

Why it matters: Shifting McKenna to the third unit separates him on the ice from his new roommate Tavares as Toronto evaluates combinations. The promotion for Cowan follows a strong camp where the 21-year-old tallied three points in his first two games.

By the numbers: Toronto has posted a 6-10 record so far this preseason, averaging 2.9 goals for and 3.8 goals against.

What to watch: Watch how the adjusted lines perform in their scheduled game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Sources

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