Can the Maple Leafs upgrade at centre without trading Easton Cowan?

The Toronto Maple Leafs have two paths to improvement at centre this offseason: free agency or trade (and maybe both).

The free-agent pool isn’t especially deep and the potential for costly missteps is high.

The trade route, on the other hand, holds more appeal, with more options, potentially, and more fits for what the Leafs need: a No. 2 centre to play behind Auston Matthews — and likely a No. 3, as well.

There’s just one teeny little problem for general manager Brad Treliving: The Leafs don’t have much left to trade.

Not after sending out two first-round picks, Fraser Minten and Nikita Grebenkin this year in separate deals for Brandon Carlo and Scott Laughton.

The Leafs have one shiny asset left to dangle to rival teams and that’s 20-year-old Memorial Cup MVP Easton Cowan.

To trade Cowan or not is a thorny proposition for the Leafs front office.

Cowan is the best prospect they’ve got and the one who’s closest to helping the NHL team in some way in the not-so-distant future (if not the 2025-26 season, then the one after that).

Trade him and there’s little to nothing left on the immediate horizon.

The Leafs aren’t booming with youth at the forward position, either.

Just about every forward save for 22-year-old Matthew Knies and 26-year-old Pontus Holmberg is approaching or already past age 30 — and that doesn’t include John Tavares, a soon-to-be 35-year-old who may or may not be re-signed.