Story Summary
Colton Sissons, Easton Cowan and Troy Stecher represented the Toronto Maple Leafs at Covenant House Toronto on Friday, taking part in the club’s annual Thanksgiving visit ahead of Canadian Thanksgiving on October 12.
Cowan carved turkey, while Stecher served gravy over mashed potatoes as the visitors joined residents for an afternoon built around conversation and shared activities rather than hockey.
For Sissons, the visit continued a pattern of community involvement from his 11 seasons with the Nashville Predators between 2013-14 and 2024-25. He said he had previously helped distribute turkeys in Nashville to people in less fortunate parts of the city, and sees the Maple Leafs’ profile in Toronto as an opportunity to make a positive impact.
Covenant House Toronto has provided shelter, meals, health services and employment training since 1982 for young people who are homeless, trafficked or at risk. Its partnership with the Maple Leafs is approaching a decade.
Key Facts
- Colton Sissons, Easton Cowan and Troy Stecher visited Covenant House Toronto as part of the Maple Leafs’ annual Thanksgiving initiative.
- Canadian Thanksgiving is on October 12.
- Sissons spent 11 seasons with the Nashville Predators from 2013-14 through 2024-25 and took part in community work there, including turkey distribution.
- Sissons joined the Maple Leafs as a free agent on July 1.
- Covenant House Toronto has operated since 1982, providing shelter, meals, health services and employment training to young people who are homeless, trafficked or at risk.
- The Maple Leafs’ partnership with Covenant House Toronto is approaching a decade and has previously included visits by John Tavares, Anthony Stolarz, Nicholas Robertson and William Nylander.
- Cowan, a 21-year-old second-year forward, said the visit was a “very cool experience” after taking part in activities with residents.
IHM Discussion
The significance of the afternoon was in the time spent, not simply the meal served. Sissons, Cowan and Stecher did not make a brief ceremonial appearance: they joined activities, answered questions and shared a table with young people whose circumstances can include homelessness, trafficking risk and instability.
That direct contact matters in a city where the Maple Leafs are highly visible. Sissons acknowledged that visibility, saying the club can have an impact through visits such as this one. His experience in Nashville gave the comment added context. He had already seen how a practical Thanksgiving gesture, such as handing out turkeys, can connect players with people who need support.
For Cowan, the visit also carried a natural point of connection. At 21, he is close in age to some of the young people at Covenant House. The organisation’s chief executive said that proximity can help residents feel seen and included when a recognisable athlete spends time talking and laughing with them.
The Maple Leafs’ near-decade relationship with Covenant House gives the visit continuity. Previous player appearances show that the programme has remained part of the club’s community calendar across different groups of players, rather than being attached to one individual or one season.
Why It Matters
Professional hockey clubs have a platform beyond the rink, particularly in a market as hockey-focused as Toronto. A visit from Maple Leafs players can bring recognition and encouragement to young people who may feel disconnected from their community.
Covenant House Toronto’s work is broad, spanning immediate needs such as shelter and meals alongside health services and employment training. In that setting, the players’ involvement was not presented as a solution to those challenges. Its value was more personal: giving residents an afternoon of attention, conversation and shared enjoyment.
For Sissons, Cowan and Stecher, the event also showed three players contributing in different ways to a longstanding club partnership. The practical work of serving food sat alongside simple interactions such as painting, signing and playing games, creating a setting in which residents could engage with them on equal terms.
Mini Q&A
Which Maple Leafs players visited Covenant House Toronto?
Colton Sissons, Easton Cowan and Troy Stecher took part in the visit.
What services does Covenant House Toronto provide?
It provides shelter, meals, health services and employment training to young people who are homeless, trafficked or at risk.
Coach Mark Comment
The strongest part of this kind of visit is the players’ willingness to take part in ordinary, unscripted moments. Serving food and joining games lowers the barrier between athlete and supporter.
IHM Final View
The Maple Leafs’ Thanksgiving visit placed Sissons, Cowan and Stecher alongside the young people served by Covenant House Toronto, not apart from them. With the organisation’s partnership with the club approaching 10 years, the afternoon extended an established community connection through practical help, conversation and time together.