Easton Cowan just sealed his own fate with the Toronto Maple Leafs

Easton Cowan sparked a ton of debates at the start of the NHL season, as Toronto Maple Leafs analysts weren't so sure he was deserving of a spot on the team.

After all, he is a rookie with very little NHL experience. Furthermore, prior to a collection of injuries, there weren't many holes on the roster for Cowan to plug himself into.

However, Leafs head coach Craig Berube took a chance on Cowan and placed him on the opening night roster. While he hasn't played every game for the Leafs, he has certainly impressed in the 15 matches he's participated in.

So much so that on Wednesday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Cowan got to play on the second line with William Nylander and John Tavares, despite the team being fully healthy on offense. This turned out to be the correct decision.

With the Leafs down 1-0 with just three minutes left in the game, Cowan scored his second career NHL goal thanks to a pass from former captain, Tavares.

The forward exploded with passion upon scoring the goal, showcasing just how much he cares about this team and its results on the ice.

With his performance last night, Cowan may have just sealed his fate for the entire season. It would be absolute malpractice to take him out of the lineup or send him back down to the AHL. He deserves to be on this Leafs roster, and there is no doubt that he makes the guys around him better.

Cowan currently has seven points in his first 15 NHL games. What's interesting about this is the fact that Cowan is currently on a three-game point streak.

He has two goals and five assists, and is seeing the ice extremely well. He also has a plus/minus of +4, which showcases a high level of defensive responsibility.

This kid is going to be a star in the league, and he has done a sensational job despite being thrown into the fire. If you're a Leafs fan, you can't help but be excited about the kid's future in this league.