Counting Down to the Draft - Manitoba Spotlight: Dawson Cowan

FIVE MANITOBANS LISTED IN 2024 NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING'S FINAL RANKINGS.

NHL Central Scouting released its final rankings for the 2024 NHL Draft on April 16 with five Manitobans making an appearance. 

This is a weaker class when it comes to Manitobans, but there are some intriguing prospects. This year, the centralized draft will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada over the familiar two-day period: Friday June 28 to Saturday June 29.

Game On's Jackson Bachewich has put together a scouting report on each of the five Manitobans listed, with each set to be revealed in the coming weeks as a five-part series leading up to the draft.

6’2”

187 lbs

Goaltender

Final Rankings: 5

Season Stats: 43 GP: 18-20-3, .899 SV%, 3.59 GAA

Dawson Cowan Scouting report: 

Strengths: 

• Size 
• Positioning 
• Strength/Athleticism

Weaknesses: 

• Consistency

After going undrafted in the 2021 Western Hockey League Prospects Draft, Dawson Cowan has made quite the name for himself over the past two seasons, with both the Winnipeg Ice (now Wenatchee Wild) and the Spokane Chiefs.  

When you watch Cowan, the first thing you notice is how well he covers the net with his size. He has quick feet and strong legs which help him get in position fast, beat the play standing up and it gives him the ability to make the big saves when needed. He never gives up on a play, always battling to keep the puck in front of him.

Cowan can be caught by his slow reactions at times and his rebound control is not great, but he is known across the WHL for his big, active glove hand which helps him make some huge saves in key moments of the games. 

Cowan plays aggressively, always challenging at the top of his crease while maintaining speed to match the speed of the player. His side-to-side movement is effective but not top notch by any means. His athleticism is also off the charts. 

Cowan is explosive with every play and has great flexibility, something that could make him go earlier than other goalies in the class. He is very strong on in-tight situations around the net finding the puck through chaos and gathers up loose pucks fast (a very underrated ability when looking at goaltenders), and he can handle the puck very well.

The key with Cowan will be finding consistency. He can be shaky at times, while in other situations it is hardly possible to get a puck by him. His tracking is solid but he tends to let in some weak goals more often than he would hope. 

As is the case with most goalies, his development after the draft will be the X-factor in making an NHL roster. If he continues to grow stronger and further fine-tune the little aspects of his game, Cowan could turn into a legitimate NHL goaltender.

The question for Cowan going into June’s entry draft will be when - not if - he is picked. He is one of the more unpredictable goalies in this draft class, and will most likely fall in the later rounds.

This video is a great example of Cowan’s compete and recovery. Never giving up on a play and adjusting to previous mistakes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-A14U8Om1k - Western Hockey League (@WHL)

Cowan stays square to the shooter(s) while maintaining strength to get across fast and take a goal away from Prince George. pic.twitter.com/OKzOPFBzJR - Spokane Chiefs (@spokanechiefs)

Stay tuned for the final player to be revealed on Game On's Manitoba Draft Spotlight.