Rookie drops the gloves and sends message to Maple Leafs coaches

The Toronto Maple Leafs finally got over the bump, snapping their eight-game losing streak with a 6-4 win against the Anaheim Ducks Thursday night. While they scored the majority of their goals on the powerplay, boosting the numbers in that department is a help.

While they got the win, they paid a price to get it with physicality. However, there is one player who got involved in a fight that may surprise people. That player, Easton Cowan. Yes, the 20-year-old Leafs rookie. His fight partner was Jackson LaCombe, who weighs just under 20 lbs more than Cowan.

The scrap came just shortly after linemate Nick Robertson got hit near the boards by LaCombe, resulting in Cowan quickly jumping in and defending his teammate. While the sight of the 20-year-old getting into it with the Ducks blueliner was surprising, it showed the reinforcements that were lacking when the Leafs captain, Auston Matthews, took a brutal knee-on-knee from Radko Gudas, the Ducks captain.

With Cowan jumping in to defend Robertson, it showed that the rookie wasn't afraid to step up for his linemate, which should be noticed. He showed that you can't get away with a hit on his teammate that easily. While Cowan is probably one of the last Leafs that anyone would have on their bingo sheet for being involved in a fight, he showed he deserves a big opportunity moving forward with the Leafs.

What should become of Easton Cowan on the Leafs moving forward?

Of course, the Leafs and Craig Berube don't expect Cowan to drop the gloves every night, but he deserves to see more ice time, more opportunity to roll with some of the big guys more often, and just overall more respect as a player and a person. Nobody expects Cowan to be an enforcer of any sort, but he should become the guy who can step up for the team when needed, under certain exceptions, as he would probably lose in a tilt with someone like Tom Wilson, for example.

Nonetheless, what Cowan showed is something that has been lacking for a long time with the Leafs in general, especially Thursday night when Matthews took a knee from Gudas. Cowan would probably not fight Gudas in that scenario, but the idea of having an actual 20-year-old NHL rookie step up and defend his teammate, which he ultimately did with Robertson, shows that he is much more than a seat-warmer in the press box or a recipient of less ice time.

By dropping the gloves, Cowan also deserves more recognition, not just for fighting, but for the player he seems to be -- not afraid to turn the physicality dial up a notch. For him being one of the smaller players on the Leafs, it shows that he's a competitor, willing to do anything to help his teammates and team, even if it's risking serious injury and something much below his weight class.

Overall, what Cowan showed was both much needed and not expected, but proves he can stick up for his team whenever possible. By letting everyone see that, his opportunities will arise sooner than later and help add another element to his game.