[Kloke] Maple Leafs Development Camp: Awards, Observations, and Questions

#Best player:

> Standout performer of the camp goes to 2022 third-round pick Nicholas Moldenhauer. The snarly winger always looked calm in possession and finishes his checks in the way you’d expect a pro player to. He consistently makes the smart play with the puck, though you wonder if a little more deception in his game would elevate his play that much further. Still, Moldenhauer plays with the kind of confidence that sets him apart from nearly every player at development camp, blending the right amount of tenacity and creativity that you have to believe the Leafs want right now.

#Runner-Up:

> The runner-up for standout performer of the camp was Easton Cowan. I understand my placement of him (6th) in my recent Leafs prospect rankings seems low, considering he’s a 2023 first-round draft pick. But that ranking was largely because of how early he is in his development path and not indicative of his talent.

> Watching him live for the first time, that talent was on full display: I was intrigued to see how much better, and quicker, a skater he is than I suspected. Cowan uses his edges to manipulate players with the puck so, so well.

> “How (Cowan) goes downhill, and then changes direction on defencemen, it’s awesome,” said Miller.

> Then there’s his shot, which was one of the harder of the camp, to my eyes.

> There’s a lot of tools to build off of, and his future could be boosted by his deep-rooted moxie. Cowan wanted to separate himself from other players with his effort and drive during every session.

> If he can continue to stay mobile and add size to his frame, that could end up being what makes him difficult to say no to in Leafs training camps down the line.

Really encouraging signs that our prospects are far better than some people think they are — especially Cowan.

[Source](https://theathletic.com/4672572/2023/07/08/maple-leafs-easton-cowan-nicholas-moldenhauer/)

by ESF-hockeeyyy