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Takeaways From Maple Leafs' First Game Of Prospect Showdown Against Senators

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Despite the Toronto Maple Leafs’ prospects falling to the Ottawa Senators in Game 1 at the Prospect Showdown in Montreal, there were some positives as the players became more comfortable in their first game since the summer break.

Toronto went down 3–0 early before getting two straight goals from Luke Haymes and Jacob Quillan. Ottawa would get one back later in the third period to make it 4-2 before Ryan Kirwan scored on the power play to make it a one-goal game again.

The Maple Leafs pushed for an equalizer, however, they couldn’t find one as Ottawa’s Jackson Parsons stole the show. Here are a couple of the bright spots among the Maple Leafs’ prospects in their first game in Montreal.

Ben Danford’s smoothness

Entering this mini tournament (or whatever you’d like to call it), Danford was one of the prospects I was most keen on watching. He didn’t get a rookie showcase last September after suffering a concussion, so with this being his first game in a Maple Leafs jersey, there was a lot to look for.

The defenseman is a big, strong body, and it showed on Saturday afternoon. Whenever it seemed like Danford was under pressure, he found a way to move the puck. But even without the puck on his stick, he was able to smother several chances before gaining possession and quickly moving the puck south.

Danford calms everything down, which is a positive trait to have, especially at an event like this, where each prospect is attempting to showcase themselves.

Luke Haymes continues production after strong AHL stint

Luke Haymes entered the organization last spring following three seasons at Dartmouth College. Almost immediately, the 22-year-old started producing with the Toronto Marlies, tallying two goals and six points in his first nine games.

Haymes centered Toronto’s second line on Saturday with Matthew Barbolini and Braeden Kressler on his wings, and continued his production. He scored the Maple Leafs’ first goal of the game in the second period, spinning and firing the puck past Parsons.

The Ottawa, Ontario product then added an assist on Kirwan’s power play goal in the third period to cut the Senators’ lead to one goal. As we approach Maple Leafs training camp, it’ll be fascinating to watch how Haymes handles the pace and physicality of Toronto’s top players before likely returning to the Marlies for his first pro season.

Easton Cowan continuing to get comfortable

There’ll be a lot of eyes on Easton Cowan in this tournament and for good reason. Cowan had a big summer — gaining nine pounds of muscle — following his massive Memorial Cup win with the London Knights earlier this year. 

His goal is to make the Maple Leafs out of training camp, and this game was likely the beginning of his audition. There’s a lot to like about Cowan, from the way he works to his hockey sense on the ice. However, you can still see moments where the young forward is timid going up against bigger competition.

Six of Ottawa’s eight defensemen at the Prospect Showdown were over six-foot-three, and they definitely didn’t make it easy on any of Toronto’s players. I thought that as the game progressed, Cowan became more comfortable, showcasing his skill, speed, and playmaking ability.

Cowan had an assist on Quillan's goal in the third period to make it a one-goal game.

How he’ll fare on Sunday against the Montreal Canadiens, who are pretty loaded with prospects, will likely dictate how he enters Maple Leafs training camp next week. I'd expect a strong game, especially against a team like the Canadiens, with the Bell Centre likely packed to the brim.

Other positive notes from Game 1

  • Quillan’s goal should give him confidence going into Game 2 of the Prospect Showdown. He looked fairly confident, and so he should, following a full year of pro and a taste of the NHL last season. Quillan might not make the Maple Leafs out of training camp. But he’ll be someone to watch for a call-up as the season runs on.
  • Miroslav Holinka had a strong game with plenty of chances to find the back of the net. There were countless moments where he was found on the left side of the ice for a one-timer, but couldn’t beat Parsons. He’ll look to have a strong game against Montreal.
  • Tyler Hopkins caught my eye a fair bit. He, like Holinka, had a couple of great scoring chances but couldn’t bury them. It’ll be interesting to watch him on Sunday vs. a smaller Canadiens d-core.

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