The veteran defenseman has been out since Oct. 17 with a neck injury. Out for a while, the Maple Leafs may get some cap room to replace him.
Ever since Jake Muzzin left in the second period of the Toronto Maple Leafs' 4-2 against the Arizona Coyotes, the words and tone surrounding the defenseman's health weren't good.
His closest friend on the team, Mitch Marner, kept his words focused on the player's health and life after hockey.
"If he does come back to play this year or whatever happens, just make sure he's going to be able to do what he wants to do for the rest of his life," Marner said just a couple of days later.
The Maple Leafs announced on Monday that Muzzin will be out indefinitely with a cervical spine injury and the 33-year-old will be re-evaluated in late February.
Muzzin was placed on long-term injured reserve a week later, unlocking Toronto's ability to utilize his $5.625 million salary cap hit. He joined the team in Los Angeles when the club was on their most recent road trip, but he was just there to watch as he saw a specialist for his injury in the area.
“I mean, it's pretty emotional. It was just me and him in the room and he told me,” Marner said of the Muzzin news. “Sad thing. But you know, like I said before, there's a lot bigger things out there than hockey and playing this game. And that's your family and people around you that you love.”
Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas explained some of Muzzin’s injury history with the spine. There was the incident against the Arizona last month and another back in the summer of 2020 during team’s qualifying-round playoff series with the Columbus Blue Jackets when Muzzin had to be helped off the ice with the use of a stretcher.
“Because of the nature of this injury we don’t have a lot of experience [with the injury] Dubas said when asked about the chances of Muzzin’s return. “You’re relying on other sports that don’t replicate hockey, exactly.”
Muzzin is still able to train and unlike most injured players, the veteran will be around the team’s locker room to provide his leadership to the group.
In late February, Muzzin will be re-evaluated, just days before the NHL trade deadline set for Mar. 3. If Muzzin is ruled out, then the Leafs could begin to shop for a possible replacement, depending on the team's cap space at the time.
But the Leafs will use that time to see if players like Timothy Liljegren and Rasmus Sandin can take a step in their development and fill the void left by Muzzin.
They also have Mark Giordano this season, something they didn’t have when Muzzin suffered the first of two concussions last season against the Blues.
Muzzin's contract runs through the end of the 2023-24 season.
Above anything else, it’s clear the Leafs are prioritizing Muzzin’s health first.
“He’s a big part of this team, whether he’s on the ice or not,” Marner said.