Toronto Maple Leafs forward Kasperi Kapanen said Monday that overslept and was late for a meeting on Friday, which led to him being a surprise scratch one day later against the Ottawa Senators.

“It’s not me not caring. It’s just an honest mistake and it happens. I just gotta own up to it,” Kapanen said Monday, admitting it was not his first time being late.

Kapanen added that he did not believe he hurt his standing with the club, but declined to expand on why when pressed.

"Listen guys, if you guys want to talk about hockey I'm all for it. Talk about today or the future that's fine but I overslept and that's that," Kapanen told reporters.

Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters following the team's 2-1 win against the Senators that the forward was held out of the lineup due to "internal accountability" and that it was a
"one-time thing."

Kapanen has 10 goals and 18 assists this season, his fifth with the Maple Leafs. He had dressed in all 51 games on the season prior to missing's Saturday's win. 

The 23-year-old, whose expected to return to the lineup Monday against the Florida Panthers, spent the gameday skate on a line with Andreas Johnsson and Pierre Engvall. 

Defenceman Travis Dermott, who missed Saturday's game due to food poisoning, will be a game-time decision against Panthers after returning to practice Monday.

Kapanen has 38 goals and 82 points in 184 games, all with the Maple Leafs. He is signed with the team through the 2021-22 season at a $3.2 million cap hit.