Leafs prospect Dave Cowan returned to the ice Sunday, a year after suffering a serious injury.
OSHAWA - There was nothing spectacular or out of the ordinary about his performance.
But that certainly didn't bother Dave Cowan. The 25-year-old Toronto Maple Leafs defence prospect was just happy to be back in action again. The Calgary, Alta., native hadn't played a game of hockey in one year since suffering a serious shoulder injury at the rookie tournament last season.
Yet there he was Sunday night taking a regular shift and then some when injuries depleted Toronto's blue line in a 5-1 win over rookies from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Toronto is 2-0 in the tournament that also features prospects from the Chicago Blackhawks and Ottawa Senators. Toronto will face the Senators rookies Tuesday night.
"We got down to four D and that is definitely not easing back into it, but it was good to be back," said Cowan, who was clearly pleased with himself following the game. "It was definitely fun."
Fun was not part of his vocabulary the past year. It started in his first game of the rookie tournament when he was nailed with a hit. That sent him on a 12-month journey to get back to doing what he loves to do - playing hockey.
"I took a hit from behind and I went into the boards funny," Cowan recalled. "I dislocated my shoulder and ended up needing surgery. I was going to come back at the end of the year, but I decided it would be better to sit out the entire year and then come back 100 per cent healthy. It was frustrating, especially early when I was in a sling and couldn't do anything. Once I could start lifting (weights) again and started skating, it went by fast."
Cowan said some people worried his career might be over, but not him.
"To be truthful, it never crossed my mind," Cowan said. "I still think I'm improving even at the age of 25. I just looked forward to getting healthy and getting back on the ice."
Cowan, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 205 pounds, is not exactly a razzle dazzle player. When he's not being noticed, it usually means he's doing his job. He plays the body well and has a quick stick. In 111 games over four years at Robert Morris University, the smooth skating Cowan managed just three goals and 24 points. It is more his ability to keep the puck out of his team's zone that will make or break his pro career.
Toronto Marlies coach Dallas Eakins, who is coaching the kids in this event, knows exactly what it's like to go to a training camp without a contract. He made a career of it. Now he cheers for the players that remind him a little bit of himself.
"I'm obviously excited about our draft picks and all our prospects, but the guys that I quietly pull for are the guys who are on tryouts," Eakins said. "I want those guys to get a second chance - a second look. I pull for them because I was in that situation before."
Cowan got a bit of a scare early in the first period against the baby Pens when he was slammed hard into the boards. Talk about Déjà vu!
"It kind of woke me up a bit," Cowan said.
Eakins was thrilled that Cowan was able to get a game under his belt.
"I thought he beat it up a little bit early, but I fully expected that," the coach said. "It's one of those things that you just feel so good for the kid that he's back out there playing again. It was a terrible, terrible injury that he had. It was unfortunate. The best moment for me was early in the game when he got hit really hard and he got up and you could almost see it on his face, 'Oh, I'm okay,' and he got playing again. We're not going to judge him on this game. He had an okay game, but we'll get him in that next game and I fully expect he'll be even better."
Added Leafs GM Brian Burke: "You would think after a year there'd be a lot of rust, but I didn't see any."
Cowan hopes he's able to do enough at this tournament to earn a contract.
"I'm a pretty simple guy in terms of the way I play the game," he said. "I try to make a good first pass or to at least dump the puck out of our zone. I'm not fancy, but I think I can be effective. I'm just happy to be healthy and back playing the best game in the world. I love hockey."
