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The end of July marks when countries in preparation for the World Junior Championships hold their summer camps to get a first glance at players that may end up on the 2025 WJC rosters. Hockey Canada released their list of 42 invitees that will participate in a Summer Showcase against Finland, Sweden, and a showdown against the United States in early August and two Toronto Maple Leafs prospects (2023 first rounder Easton Cowan and sixth-rounder Noah Chadwick) were selected.
Cowan surprisingly made Team Canada’s squad last December and went on to win the OHL regular season and playoff MVP and led the London Knights to the Memorial Cup Final has to be considered a shoo-in unless the 19-year-old makes the NHL roster.
Chadwick was selected 185th overall by the Leafs after scoring 20 points in his first full season with the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes, but last season the 19-year-old nearly tripled his offensive totals, scoring 12 goals and 44 assists in 66 games. The 6’4”, 200 lb. defenseman will have a difficult challenge making Canada’s blueline, with first-rounders Oliver Bonk(PHI), Sam Dickinson(SJ), Tanner Molendyk(NAS), Zayne Parekh (CGY), and Carter Yakemchuk vying for spots.
Cowan was also the only Leafs prospect selected by The Athletic for the NHL’s top 100 prospects, which is a far cry from a similar list not so long ago when names like Nylander, Marner, and Matthews populated the list.