If two goalies being out of the lineup wasn’t bad, having a defenseman down makes it worse. Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Jake Muzzin is out with an injury and will miss significant time. Unfortunately, the news for him is he is dealing with a cervical spine injury. Muzzin will be further evaluated in February, and his return to the ice is uncertain.
Jake Muzzin Injury To Be Re-Evaluated
The #leafs announce that Jake Muzzin has a cervical spine injury. He's due to be re-evaluated in late February.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) November 14, 2022
Losing Muzzin is a blow to the lineup. He is known for his shutdown ability and for playing a rough and tough brand of hockey. Even though the team has added to the back end, Muzzin makes them deeper especially come playoff time. It is not the end of the world per se, but not something the team was expecting.
The Toronto Blue Line
Despite Muzzin being out of the lineup, the team is not horrible on the back end. As a unit, they have been good averaging 2.75 goals against per game (8th in the league), and have allowed the 13th fewest goals in all situations (44). This group is led by Morgan Rielly, who leads on blueliners on the team in points (12). Toronto still has good depth on the back end and will continue to lean on defenders Mark Giordano, Rasmus Sandin, and Timothy Liljegren. It is not the end of the world as the Toronto Maple Leafs currently sit second in the Atlantic Division. Depending on how the rest of the season goes, Kyle Dubas could seek out a depth move at the deadline.
Jake Muzzin Career
Originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins, Muzzin has spent his career with the Los Angeles Kings and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Between the two clubs, he has skated in 683 games and has 69 goals, 225 assists, and 294 points. In addition, Muzzin has played in 72 playoff games and is a Stanley Cup Champion (2013-14).
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