The discomfiture of the Canadian team at the recent World Junior Hockey Championship has left its mark everywhere and it is first and foremost the players who are bearing the brunt of the widespread discontent, as Easton Cowan was able to see.
Many Junior Team Canada fans cannot digest the elimination of the national team in the quarter-finals and some did not hesitate to insult Cowan from a distance. If the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect achieved his share of success with the London Knights in the Ontario Junior League (OHL), the story was very different at the World Juniors. Despite his presence in the first line and the main power play unit, he was content with one goal and two assists in five games.
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Some thus vented their anger on the 19-year-old young man, who refrained from responding, preferring to leave social networks.
“I don’t really care what people tell me. You cannot listen to those who hate you and who will not help you in life, he told the daily Toronto Sun. No matter what you do, they will talk. No matter what sport you play, there will always be people who hate you and others who will come to your defense. I will not listen to someone negative who cannot advise me.”
Saying that “losing is sad”, Cowan is now focused on his tasks at hand in the junior ranks.
“I look forward and I’m a London Knight,” he said. I would have liked to do better for this country and I gave everything. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the favorable jumps and I couldn’t get my game back when needed. It happens sometimes.”
The winger has collected 28 points in 20 games this season and has blackened the score sheet in his last 56 regular season outings in the OHL.
