Team Canada hopes Cowan's point streak extends into World Juniors

Team Canada practised at Silver Dart Arena in Petawawa, Ont. on Sunday.

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Easton Cowan skated on the top line at practice on Sunday. It was his first full workout with teammates since arriving at Hockey Canada's camp.

"I feel good," the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect said. "Just taking it day by. No rush right now."

Cowan was held out of the selection camp scrimmage and games against U Sports players last week as a precaution after being hit hard by Oshawa Generals defenceman Zack Sandhu in a game on Dec. 6.

"It was a clean hit," Cowan said. "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."

Earlier in the game, Cowan scored a goal to extend his point streak to 56 straight regular-season games in the Ontario Hockey League. Doug Gilmour, who set the league record of 55 straight games with a point with the Cornwall Royals in the 1982-83 season, sent a message of support.

"Obviously it's cool," said Cowan, who has 15 goals and 13 assists in 20 games this season. "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."

Cowan's streak is not considered an official record because it stretches between two seasons. It started way back on Nov. 25, 2023.

"I can't even believe it," said Generals centre Cal Ritchie. "I mean, I've had a couple at like eight games, and I'm just like, 'Wow, 56!' It's unbelievable. It's crazy."

Although it's not something Cowan is keen to discuss.

"Honestly, you try not to think about it," he said. "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."

Both Cowan and Team Canada head coach Dave Cameron are more interested in the task at hand.

"How many games are we playing here?" Cameron asked.

Team Canada will play three pre-tournament games and then, assuming they made the medal round, seven games at the World Juniors.

"I want him on a 10 game [streak] and that I'll be really excited about," Cameron said.

Canada will play the first of three pre-tournament games on Thursday.

"I want to be a guy on this team that can help in any way," Cowan said, "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."

Cowan, who is the reigning most outstanding player in the OHL, mustered just one goal and one assist in five games last year when Canada lost in the quarter-finals and finished a disappointing fifth place in Sweden.

"Obviously it sucked," the 19-year-old from Mount Brydges, Ont. said. "But that was last year, and we're focused on this year."

"His resilience is second to none," said Soo Greyhounds defenceman Andrew Gibson. "He's like a dog on a bone. He's nonstop. He's always getting to you."

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Last year, Cowan played a support role at the World Juniors. This year, he's starting on the top line beside Ritchie and Medicine Hat Tigers phenom Gavin McKenna.

"Those two have elite skill," Cowan said. "Ritchie can make plays all over the ice, same with McKenna. Both guys are producing at unreal rates this year so just excited to try something out with them."

"That line is unreal," Gibson said. "Just looking at it on paper, it's pretty sick."

Ritchie started the season in the NHL with the Colorado Avalanche. He's picked up 34 points in 18 games since returning to Oshawa. McKenna leads the Western Hockey League with 60 points in 30 games.

"I felt like we clicked pretty well on the ice today," Cowan said. "A couple good slip plays out there and we're only going to get better."

"He just works really hard," said Ritchie. "He competes. He's like a dog on a bone, so really hard to play against. He forechecks really well. He does everything good."

Cowan and Ritchie are fierce rivals in the OHL. The Knights knocked out the Generals in the championship series last season and both are division leaders again this year.

"It will be nice to be on his side this time because I don't really like playing against him," Cowan said. "He sees those little plays that many people don't see. I'm just really excited to play with him. He supports the puck really well, so I think we'll connect well."

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Ritchie benefitted from an extended experience in the professional environment this season.

"My welcome-to-the-NHL moment happened before I was there," the 19-year-old from Oakville, Ont. said. "I was at the Vail camp with Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Mitch Marner, guys like that. That was pretty crazy. I was the only young guy too. I thought there would be a couple other young guys, but it was just me. So, I was sitting in the corner of the room, sitting beside Marner and McDavid, and that was unbelievable to me."

Ritchie secured an invite to the elite gathering via MacKinnon's trainer Andy O'Brien, who oversaw the pre-season camp in the Colorado resort town, and Andrew Cogliano, who serves as a special assistant to Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland.

"There was one time I was going against McDavid," Ritchie marvelled. "We were playing scrimmages each day. It was crazy."

The chance to rub shoulders with the game's greatest stars gave Ritchie a boost ahead of Avalanche training camp. He was able to make the team and played seven games. He learned how important "small details" are. MacKinnon was his best teacher.

"Everything he does is for a reason," Ritchie said. "He just loves the game. That's a big thing I was able to take away is just how much work he puts in every single day to be the player he is. On and off the ice, it's the details, taking care of your body. Everything is incredible to see, and I try to implement it every day."

Asked for one specific example, Ritchie can't pick.

"I don't know if it's one specific thing," he said. "I mean, you guys watch him and every game it's crazy. He's so intense and he's moving a million miles an hour all game for like 26 minutes a night. It's pretty crazy."

Ritchie's first name is Calum but, in the spirit of being detailed, TSN clarified that he prefers going by Cal.

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McKenna is the youngest player on Team Canada, but already possesses professional characteristics.

"How mature he is on and off the ice, you'd think he's our age the way he acts if not older," Cowan said with a smile. "Just an unreal guy and just an elite talent out there. What really stands out to me is the defensive side of the puck. Usually, guys like that just kind of float out there but he's out there giving it his all and playing that 200-foot game."

"It's hard to believe that he's only 16," said Ritchie. "It's awesome that he's on the team. He's going to help us a ton."

McKenna, a 6-foot winger, is projected to go first overall in the 2026 NHL draft. His hockey role model growing up was Patrick Kane, who went first overall in 2007.

"Just how silky he was and how calm he was on the ice," McKenna said. "He kind of slowed the game down to his pace and he has great hands. He's a great playmaker and I try and put that into my game."

McKenna leads the WHL with 41 assists, which is seven more than the next closet player.

"His possession with the puck and his ability to make passes, it's like nothing I've ever seen, honestly," said Spokane Chiefs centre Berkly Catton, who skated beside McKenna during part of the selection camp. "Playing on his line is pretty fun because you just know it's going to end up on your stick one way or the other. He's extremely special."

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With seven points in 26 games this season, no player on Team Canada has produced less than Gibson.

"He's a bit of a throwback defenceman," Cameron said. "Thinks defence first, and takes as much pride in a blocked shot as he does creating anything offensively. Old school. Any time you have a throwback player that evaluates his shifts and game on doing the non-glamorous things, there's not enough of those guys in hockey now."

At 6-foot-4, Gibson is Canada's tallest player this year. At 206 pounds, he's the team's heaviest defenceman.

"Gibby is one of a kind," said Cowan. "He likes to give it me; I like to give it him. He plays hard, plays the body. Really good defender."

Gibson has taken 36 penalty minutes this season, which is 12 more than any other defenceman on Team Canada. The native of LaSalle, Ont. was shaped by his early days in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.

"Going in there as a 16-year-old, that's a pretty tough league," he said. "Those guys love laying the body and hitting after plays as well. So, it's about keeping your head on a swivel and playing hard at all times. That's what taught me how to block shots and kill penalties and hit hard and play hard. We won a championship [with the Soo Thunderbirds] with all our guys playing that style so that is definitely where I learned it from."

Gibson appears to be the perfect complement to the smooth-skating Tanner Molendyk on the top pair. Molendyk is a point-a-game player so far this season with the Saskatoon Blades.

Gibson and Molendyk already have a built-in chemistry because both are Nashville Predators prospects.

"I started with Moley at development camp this past year and then at main camp as well," Gibson noted. "We played the whole rookie tournament together. He's so easy to play with, easy to feed off of. Our connection has grown, and if it keeps growing like that it should be good for the future and really good for this tournament."

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Asked what stands out about Gibson, Cameron doesn't mention his play immediately.

"His moustache," the coach said with a smile. "Old school. Yeah, retro. I think he looks good."

What's the origin story behind one of the best moustaches in junior hockey?

"I grew it out for Movember last year, so not even this past year, and I kind of liked it," Gibson said. "I was like, 'Screw it. I'm going to stick with it.' My mom doesn't really like it. She wants me to shave, or she might like a goatee. But my sister said it's growing on her so that's always good. Her opinion always matters to me."

Teammates are impressed, to say the least.

"I wish I could grow one," Cowan said.

"I'm a little jealous," Ritchie said sheepishly. "I've maybe shaved like three times in my life."

McKenna seems a bit scruffy these days. Is he interested in following in Gibson's footsteps.

"I'm just getting lazy," he said. "I haven't shaved. I definitely couldn't grow one like that, though."

Everyone agrees, it's the perfect look for the gritty defenceman.

"It suits him," McKenna said.

"A lot of guys will laugh at it and call me the tough guy as like a joke," Gibson said. "But, I don't know, it's my style. It's my thing. It's become a piece of me. Off the ice, I like being the fun guy, the nice guy, but once I get on the ice, if you get in a corner with me I'm going to give it to you. I like to play that style of game and it kind of suits me."

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Team Canada also travelled to Petawawa, Ont. for a training camp prior to the 2009 World Juniors in Ottawa. Is this trip bringing back good memories for Cameron, who was an assistant coach on the staff of Pat Quinn that year?

"I can't remember last week," he quipped. "No, it's good. We were over in the mess and got telling some '09 stories ... Hopefully we can replicate it."

The 2009 team went on to win a gold medal. There is a Hockey Canada sweater with autographs from all the players on that team hanging at the front of the Silver Dart Arena.

Team Canada is staying on the Canadian Forces Base in town.

"The military – is there anybody that's more humble?" said Cameron. "Their daily life is all about teamwork and sacrifice and looking for your brother, your comrade. There's no better environment to be in than that, and that's what our team is going to be doing."

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After playing an American Hockey League game on Saturday in Texas, Chicago Wolves forward Bradly Nadeau arrived in Petawawa late Sunday afternoon. He will take part in his first on-ice session with Team Canada on Monday.

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Lines at Sunday's practice:
 

McKenna - Ritchie - Cowan

Rehkopf - Catton - Martone

Beaudoin - Yager - Gauthier

Howe - Luchanko - Cataford

Pinelli

Molendyk - Gibson

Schaefer - Bonk

Mynio - Price

Dickinson - Akey

Bjarnason

George

Ivankovic