Easton Cowan admits one thing still bothers him after Maple Leafs’ season

The Toronto Maple Leafs season has been over and done with for a couple weeks now but one thing is still bothering rookie Easton Cowan.

Maybe the pivotal moment of the season, that truly started a sink towards the bottom of the league standings, was when Anaheim Ducks captain Radko Gudas decided to throw a vicious knee-on-knee to Auston Matthews. He was eventually suspended for five games in an act that ended the Leafs captain's season, but what bothered a whole lot of fans more than losing their captain, was the lack of response on the ice after Matthews was sent crashing towards the ice.

There was a whole lot of nothing -- just Toronto players standing around and waiting to see what happens next, without going after Gudas or grabbing the nearest Duck. It was a moment where so many fans felt that this team has lost themselves.

Cowan feels the same way.

Easton Cowan still bothered by Leafs' response to Radko Gudas hit

During an appearance on Leafs Morning Take earlier this week, Cowan reflected on the Gudas incident and the lack of a response from him and his entire team, and how it's really bothering him.

"Obviously, there's a lot of regret, I wish I would've done something. I'm still kind of pissed off at myself for that. It's definitely a learning curve, for sure. I mean, you don't even have to go fight the guy but I could've got in there and done something so I feel bad I didn't. ... I'm just going to try to do that from here on out," Cowan said.

"I felt like I did do that for the rest of the year -- same with everyone on the team. I feel like we were sticking up for each other. It just brings good vibes and it just shows that you're close as a group. We just have to keep that going. It's a big offseason for everyone and training camp will be awesome to see everyone but we got to come in with a good mindset."

It is true. After the Leafs lost Matthews and after heavy criticism from around the hockey world, they started to play more like a team and actually get involved physically. Now, whether or not this was because they truly wanted to or just because they didn't want to get killed in the media and by fans again for acting like it was a seniors beer league game and everyone was friends, is still to be seen.

But, it is a good sign that a 20-year-old rookie knows what to do and what mentality to have next fall.

Cowan is now down in the AHL for the Toronto Marlies' playoff run and has one assist after one game in the first round after an emphatic 5-0 win over the Rochester Americans.

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