NHL Officially Rules on Dangerous Hit That Almost Seriously Injured Easton Cowan

Toronto Maple Leafs fans are very protective when it comes to the team's stars, and that is especially true of their favorite prospects, like Easton Cowan.

On Tuesday night, Cowan almost suffered a bad injury after he went flying into the goal post after a hit from Ozzy Wiesblatt of the Nashville Predators.

It was a dirty move, and one that saw very few Leafs players actually react, which is another issue entirely. That said, there were rumbling that some supplemental discipline could be on the way.

The 5 PM deadline on Wednesday passed, and nothing happened to Wiesblatt. In fact, the NHL never even acknowledged the hit whatsoever.

To be fair, it was always a bit of a stretch to think that this was the hit that the NHL was going to care about. After all, we see worse headshots on a nightly basis.

Regardless, the fans want to see Easton Cowan protected. He is a phenomenal young prospect who has been sensational on the team's first line.

Tonight, the Maple Leafs are taking on the New York Rangers, and Cowan is expected to be in the lineup for this one, yet again.

He will also likely be on the first line with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies. After registering an assist in the last game, perhaps we could see his first-career goal.

Head coach Craig Berube seems keen on giving Cowan extra responsibility, and as a rookie, that is huge. For some fans, it is also unexpected.

While he may get demoted once Steven Lorentz and Scott Laughton come back, there is no doubt that he should be with the team all season.