(Toronto, ON) -- The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan (Mount Brydges, ON) of the London Knights is the 2023-24 recipient of the Red Tilson Trophy, an award presented annually to the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player as voted by the writers and broadcasters that cover the league.
It marks the second consecutive MOP award won by a Maloney & Thompson client. Matt Maggio of the Windsor Spitfires captured the award in 2022-23.
Cowan finished his sophomore season with 34 goals, 62 assists and 96 points in 54 games, registering the league’s second-highest production rate of 1.78 points-per-game.
He garnered league-wide attention with his 36-game point streak that spanned from Nov. 25 through the final game of the regular season on Mar. 24, eventually reaching a run of 42 games in the OHL Playoffs. The 36-game mark established a new London Knights franchise record, and is the longest point streak the OHL has seen since 1995.
Cowan’s season saw him record at least a point in 49 of his 54 outings, with a total of 33 multi-point performances along the way. His seven shorthanded goals were tied with teammate Denver Barkey for the league lead while his 14 shorthanded points finished atop the OHL list. His contributions helped the Knights secure a Hamilton Spectator Trophy as the OHL’s first place team during the regular season, along with a fifth straight Midwest Division title.
An 18-year-old from Mount Brydges, Ont., Cowan has recorded 55 goals, 96 assists and 151 points over 129 career regular season games, registering a plus/minus rating of plus-47. He’s also scored a total of 10 shorthanded goals along with seven goals on the power play.
Cowan helped the Knights win the Wayne Gretzky Trophy as Western Conference champions last spring, putting up 21 points (9-12—21) across 20 playoff contests. He was Toronto’s first round (28th overall) pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, and signed an entry-level NHL contract with the Leafs on Aug. 10, 2023.
The Knights selected Cowan with their second round (25th overall) pick in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection from the Elgin-Middlesex Canucks program of the Alliance Pavillion League
Cowan becomes the seventh London Knights player to win the Red Tilson Trophy, joining a list that includes Mitch Marner (2015-16), Michael Houser (2011-12), Corey Perry (2004-05), Jason Allison (1993-94), Dave Simpson (1981-82) and Dennis Maruk (1974-75). Recent winners have included a pair of Windsor Spitfires forwards in Matthew Maggio (2022-23) and Wyatt Johnston (2021-22) along with Ottawa 67’s forward Marco Rossi (2019-20) and Sudbury Wolves goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (2018-19).