Is this Jake Muzzin's last season as a Maple Leaf?
What more can we ask of Jake Muzzin? The Leafs' defenseman has been a warrior for the Leafs since coming over from LA in 2018. Unfortunately, Muzzin's hard hitting style of play has started to catch up with him.
The 33-year-old has been injured in the Leafs' last 2 playoff series and is currently sitting out with his second concussion of the season. For what Muzzin has been able to bring to the Leafs' lineup, it will be hard to see him go, but the factors surrounding the Leafs defense corps (particularly with the emergence of Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren) and salary cap, it may be time to find Muzzin a new home.
Sandin has emerged as a solid NHL defenseman, much to the delight of the Leafs. The smooth-skating Swede has proven this season that he can be an everyday NHLer. His offensive awareness allows him to set up teammates for chances on a regular basis and his physical game has become an asset in the defensive zone. Sandin should be on the roster all season next year, potentially even in a top-six role.
Since arriving from Seattle, Mark Giordano has been rumored to be willing to sign a sweetheart deal similar to that of Jason Spezza during the last few seasons. Gio has been excellent on a pairing with Timothy Liljegren since being traded to the Leafs. If the rumors are true and the 2019 Norris Trophy winner does decide to stay on with the team, that fills another slot on the left side at a bargain price.
Morgan Rielly obviously isn't going anywhere. the Leafs' longest tenured player starts an 8-year contract next season at $7.5M per season. A left side of Rielly, Giordano and Sandin is not only strong, its economical salary cap wise.
That leaves the Leafs with a two options. Trade Muzzin or shift Sandin to the right side and move Justin Holl.
Trading Muzzin could bring in some assets for the Leafs, whether it's draft capital or roster players coming back, but the most important thing it would accomplish would be freeing up some valuable cap space. Getting rid of Muzzin's $5,625,000 cap hit would be a massive help to the Leafs, especially if the veteran blueliner is in a steady decline.
Ilya Lyubushkin has been excellent with Morgan Rielly, retaining his services would be a smart play for Kyle Dubas, provided he takes a contract similar to Justin Holl's. Even slightly more is digestible, as long as Muzzin's contract comes off the books. T.J. Brodie is the perfect partner for a developing Rasmus Sandin, and Mark Giordano has loved playing alongside Timothy Liljegren.
Liljegren has looked like a completely different player beside Gio. We're finally seeing the dynamic, two-way defenseman we were promised when he was drafted. Moving both Muzzin and Holl would leave the Leafs D corps with:
Rielly-Lyubushkin
Sandin-Brodie
Giordano-Liljegren
With Sandin and Liljegren improving at the rate they have this season, I would be completely comfortable having that be the Leafs' top-6 on defense to start the 2022-23 season.
The biggest issue with trying to move Muzzin is that he has the ability to block a trade, owning a full no-trade clause until the summer of 2023, when it softens and becomes a modified NTC that allows him to submit a 10-team no-trade list. So the big question is, will Muzzin agree to waive his NTC this summer if asked?
| POLL | ||
MARS 29 | 270 ANSWERS Is this Jake Muzzin's last season as a Maple Leaf? Will Jake Muzzin waive his NMC this summer if asked? | ||
| Yes | 124 | 45.9 % |
| No | 68 | 25.2 % |
| They shouldn't try to move him | 78 | 28.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
