The Los Angeles Kings have traded long-time defenceman Jake Muzzin to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Carl Grundstrom, rights to Sean Durzi and a first round pick in 2019.
.@SportChek Player Alert: The @MapleLeafs have acquired defenceman Jake Muzzin from Los Angeles in exchange for forward Carl Grundstrom, the rights to Sean Durzi and Toronto’s first-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.#LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/3DYt3w0dc1
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) January 29, 2019
Maple Leafs Acquire Jake Muzzin
In Muzzin, the Leafs get a solid two-way defender who is an absolute minute eater. In 50 games this season, Muzzin has scored four goals and added 17 assists. He has also recorded 33 penalty minutes.
Over his career, Muzzin has scored 51 goals and recorded 162 assists for 213 points in 496 games. He was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fifth round, 141st overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. However, he’s spent his entire NHL career with the Kings.
What This Means For The Future
Acquiring Muzzin bolsters the clubs defense drastically. Muzzin is a solid puck mover who is capable of playing on both special teams. Muzzin is a big defenceman, but still skates well for his size. He is a minute eater, and will certainly prove to be a big acquisition down the stretch.
Muzzin is that he is not your typical rental player. Muzzin still has another year remaining with a very cap friendly average annual salary of $4 million. This is a huge benefit for the Leafs. If Muzzin doesn’t work out, the club can certainly look to flip him at next year’s deadline to a team who would be looking for a rental defenceman for a playoff push. If he does, Muzzin will certainly earn a nice raise from his current $4 million per season salary.
Main Photo
Embed from Getty Images
