Toronto Maple Leafs forward Easton Cowan has been making headlines for the team all season. But it was his latest reaction that has caught the most attention.
During the Leafs’ Saturday night tilt with the New Jersey Devils, captain Auston Matthews took a mean hit from New Jersey defenseman Dougie Hamilton late in the third period. The hit drew an immediate reaction from Cowan, who stepped in for his captain.
The reaction was certainly refreshing, especially in light of what didn’t happen last season, when Radko Gudas put Matthews out of commission for the season.
Cowan, for his part, wasn’t having any of it. As he told Marco D’Amico of RG, he wanted to make sure Hamilton got a piece of his mind.
“Captain gets hit high twice, you gotta do something. Didn’t really like those hits, so I stepped in.”
Cowan figured that once was bad, but twice was just too much. And so, Cowan went after the veteran blueliner without hesitation.
That reaction is something that fans appreciated. But what has made Leafs Nation appreciate Easton Cowan even more is the fact that he’s willing to do whatever it takes to help his team.
“I want to make a difference when the game needs it. Offensively, defensively. Whatever the game needs me to do,” Cowan said.
That’s something that the Maple Leafs sorely lacked last season.
Easton Cowan Believes Adversity is Something That Will Help the Team
It’s no secret that the Maple Leafs are in a tough spot right now. They’re riding a three-game skid, and the upcoming game against Colorado doesn’t look any easier.
But Easton Cowan isn’t worried too much about it. He knows that it’s the sort of situation that will help the team grow in the long run.
“Unfortunately, we’re in a little bit of adversity, but that’s what’s going to help us in the long run,” Cowan added. “And it’s going to build us closer together. We just gotta stick together, keep showing up to the rink, and here’s a new opportunity Tuesday.”
That opportunity on Tuesday will be against one of the best teams in the league. But the good news is that the Maple Leafs have already beaten them once this season.
Maple Leafs Looking to Find Consistency
Perhaps the biggest issue plaguing the Maple Leafs this season has been consistency. Some nights have featured strong defense and goaltending. Other nights, the offense has been on fire. And then, like on Sunday night, everything falters.
That’s why Easton Cowan has been one of the bright spots for the team this season. He’s been a consistent force for the team. He’s graduated from the bottom six to the top line. And it’s not that he’s filled a hole in an injury-depleted lineup. He’s earned his spot with the big guns.
He’s stepped up when others haven’t really found a way to help the team.
That’s why Easton Cowan has become an untradeable asset for the Maple Leafs. It’s not that nobody would want him. It’s that losing him would be far too much for the organization.
Easton Cowan Gets Honest About Reaction to Auston Matthews Hit