World junior camp big for Minten and Cowan

Leafs prospects have yet to play for Canada at any level

In John Tavares’s household, there’s going to be more than just a rooting interest in Canada at the world junior championship.

Maple Leafs prospects Fraser Minten and Easton Cowan have been invited to the Canadian selection camp in Oakville, starting Sunday. Minten lived with Tavares and got to know his kids early in the season, when he played his first four NHL games.

“There’s a little pressure on Fraser because my kids are expecting him to be there, so they really want to watch him,” said Tavares. “They’ve gotten the world junior bug a little bit ... It will be really cool to watch him, especially having gotten to know him a little bit and having him around our household for a couple of weeks.”

Neither one is a lock to make the final roster, given 30 players were invited and neither has represented Canada before, at any age level. Minten has only been on Hockey Canada’s radar since the Leafs drafted him in the second round in 2022. He had three goals and seven assists in 10 games with Kamloops after being sent back to junior, and was since traded to Saskatoon, where he has a goal and two assists. Minten is now teammates with another Leafs prospect, winger Brandon Lisowsky.

Like Minten, Cowan is a bit of a late-bloomer. He was one of the last cuts at Leafs camp after being selected 28th overall in June out of the London Knights organization. The Leafs liked how he played the second half of last year, and he’s continued to put up points this season with 11 goals and 25 assists in 22 games, among the top 10 in OHL scoring.

“It’s a feather in the cap for both players,” said Leafs GM Brad Treliving. “Any time that you’re identified for that team, it’s a tremendous honour. So hats off to both of them. I sent them a note that being recognized like that is a great honour. Now go in and have a really good camp and hopefully go represent your country.”

While the Leafs — like any other team — typically have players at the world junior tournament each year, they haven’t had a great number of Canadians for Hockey Canada to consider.

In Kyle Dubas’s years as Leafs GM, he drafted nine Canadians (including Minten) among 35 picks between 2018 and 2022. Treliving had three picks in June and all (including Cowan) are Canadian.

Forward Ryan Tverberg, now with the Marlies, was the last cut from the 2022 world junior team, a tournament cut short by a COVID-19 outbreak. Goalie Ian Scott, now out because of injuries, was the last Leafs representative for Canada in 2019, when the team failed to make it past the quarterfinals.

If they make the cut, Minten and Cowan will be the only Leafs at the world juniors.

“It just speaks to how those players have developed and the belief that the organization has shown in them by selecting them when they did,” said coach Sheldon Keefe. “I’m sure it’ll be a competitive camp, and they’ll be right in the mix because one thing about those two guys is they’re absolute competitors, so they’ll certainly give their all.”

Tavares won gold twice for Canada, in 2008 and again (as captain) in 2009. He hopes Minten and Cowan have similar success.

“For any Canadian kid, it’s a huge opportunity. Everyone wants to get that chance, a box you really want a check in. It’s a very small window to have that opportunity to be part of the world juniors,” said Tavares. “Playing under a lot of eyes, high intensity, the expectations, all those things will help prepare them professionally as well.”