Marner and Muzzin reveal how their friendship began and why they're so close on and off the ice
A few weeks ago, Jake Muzzin sat in a room with close friend Mitch Marner 1-on-1 and revealed the news to one of his best friends that his season and perhaps even his career is in jeopardy after suffering a cervical spine injury on October 17th against the Arizona Coyotes. Marner revealed that the conversation was a very emotional one and that he has a lot of concern for his friend, mostly centered around his family and life after hockey.
The bond between Muzzin and Marner is an intriguing one, especially since more than 8 years separates them in age. In fact, Muzzin already had 5 NHL seasons under his belt before Marner was even drafted. Muzzin is viewed as a locker room leader in Toronto, as is Marner, so perhaps the link between the two isn't all that complicated. They're both competitors, they both want to win and they both shoulder a lot of responsibility. The similarities don't end there, though.
Jonas Siegel of The Athletic dropped a piece on Saturday which reveals just how close Marner and Muzzin are and the type of mutual respect they have for one another. While most would have assumed that Marner and Matthews might be the bff's of the team, given how close they are in age and how much synergy they have on the ice, Marner revealed earlier this year that Muzzin is his best friend on the team. For Muzzin, the feeling is mutual. He revealed as much during training camp this year, stating that "sometimes, things just click" when asked about his bond with Mitch.
How did the brotherhood start? Well, according to Muzzin, who was 30 when the Leafs acquired him, it all began with a gesture from Marner to invite Muzzin out to dinner to make him feel welcomed to his new team.
-Muzzin on Marner's gesture to take him to dinner and make him feel right at home in Toronto
For Marner, he knew that Muzzin had left his family back in Los Angeles when he first game over and that it was tough on him, even as a veteran player. These guys are high-level NHL players, sure - but they're also human beings. The empath in Marner realized that even though Muzzin is from nearby Woodstock, ON, that Los Angeles had become his home and that it was tough on him without his family at the start. Marner's reflection on how he approached the early days of his friendship with Muzzin show just what a genuinely good person he is.
-Marner on his friendship with Muzzin and how quickly it all came together
The two may have a large age gap, but they have bonded over their appreciation of a lot of the same things. Age, after all, is just a number. It's our appreciation of things and our personalities that make us mesh with others. In Marner and Muzzin's case, it's golfing, Muskoka, dogs and beer.
-Marner on why he thinks he and Muzzin get along so well
It's not all about the light-hearted side of the friendship that make the two so close. A part of that brotherhood comes from holding one another accountable and being honest with each other.
"If one of us are messing up or something, neither one of us are afraid to speak up, especially Jake. He's not afraid to speak up to anyone in this locker room, and that's why we all cherish him and love him as much as we do. It's definitely that big brother vibe for sure. He definitely brings that to our table."
-Marner on another layer of his friendship with Muzzin and why they have been so important to one another from a career standpoint
Obviously, it's been great for Marner to have Muzzin around the team even through his unfortunate injury. It's probably a big reason why he's been so consistently good this season. I'd have to imagine that if Muzzin was not around the team as much, perhaps Marner would be struggling a little more to find the consistency that he's had during his 18-game point streak. Your friends and your support circle have a huge bearing on how you perform, I think. For Marner, having one of his closest friends and teammates around him, even just in an off-ice capacity, has probably helped him a lot.
We probably all have one of those friends in our lives where someone on the outside would look at the relationship and think "I don't see it". Thankfully, it's not about what others think. It's about those bonds and those relationships and what you can offer to one another that makes them special. That type of unwavering love and support is one of the keys to happiness in life. For Marner and Muzzin, you just hope that Muzz can get healthy and stay healthy. If it comes to the point where playing increases the risk of long-term issues, then you just hope that he can make peace with the fact that his playing days are over and perhaps he can find a position with the team off the ice that still keeps him involved in the day-to-day activities of the team.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 3 | 266 ANSWERS Marner and Muzzin reveal how their friendship began and why they're so close on and off the ice If Muzzin cannot play anymore, should the Leafs offer him a position within the organization? | ||
| Absolutely! That's a no-brainer | 163 | 61.3 % |
| Only if he's qualified for the position he gets | 103 | 38.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
