The Leafs provide an update on Jake Muzzin
Jake Muzzin took part in Leafs practice today after missing practice last week due to a concussion. It was the team's first practice after the All-Star break. Muzzin has been out of action since January 15th. Today, we received an update from Sheldon Keefe on Muzzin's status for tomorrow's game. It's not bad news, but it's not necessarily good news either.
Keefe said that he "doesn't know" if Muzzin will be cleared for tomorrow's game. Muzzin was practicing in a regular sweater today but that doesn't exactly give him the green light to make his return to the lineup against the Carolina Hurricanes.
I don't think you'll find too many Leafs fans who will argue that Muzzin's presence on the Leafs blueline isn't impactful, although the 32-year-old defenceman has not exactly played up to his own standards this season. Needless to say, without him, there is a large hole on defense.
When it comes to head injuries, teams are best not to rush a player back into the lineup, regardless of how badly their presence is missed. With all we know about CTE and head trauma, teams should not be taking any shortcuts, because as we've come to learn, players lives are on the line and their long-term health should not be discounted at the cost of playing a handful of extra games.
