Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs Lose Muzzin Long-Term, Cap Space Open for Trade

Jake Muzzin has been ruled out long-term for the Toronto Maple Leafs. What will the team do now with the cap space that opens up?

by
NHL Trade Talk
November 14, 2022

According to the Maple Leafs PR Department, defenseman Jake Muzzin is out indefinitely due to a cervical spine injury. His status will be re-evaluated in late February and there is real concern that he may never return to the NHL. While this is terrible news for the player and the person, this does open up a couple of options for the Maple Leafs in terms of the potential to add a player to either replace Muzzin, or at some other position on the roster.

Roster updates:

D Jake Muzzin is out indefinitely due to a cervical spine injury. His status will be re-evaluated in late February.

D TJ Brodie has been placed on injured reserve (oblique injury).

D Mac Hollowell and F Pontus Holmberg have been recalled from @TorontoMarlies.
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) November 14, 2022

Mike Stephens of The Hockey News writes, “Entirely possible we’ve seen the last of Jake Muzzin in the NHL. Would be a massive shame. What a good dude and beloved player.” Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff writes, “With Muzzin on LTIR, Toronto will have an opportunity to add to their roster, if they’re expecting him to be out for the season.” Chris Johnston of TSN writes, “His $5.625M cap hit can be used to make roster additions if Muzzin won’t return before the end of the regular season.”

The Leafs have a number of issues on their back end. If defenseman TJ Brodie is out of the lineup for any significant amount of time — he has been placed on injured reserve with an oblique injury — the team may feel the need to go out and add. They recently inserted Jordie Benn into the lineup and he immediately added value with a goal and some physicality, but the team is shorthanded now. If Muzzin is going to spend the entire season on the shelf, GM Kyle Dubas can make a move.

There have been rumors linking the Maple Leafs to players like John Klingberg out of Anaheim or Jakob Chychrun out of Arizona. There’s also been talk that perhaps the Leafs might look at a forward and may have an interest in Ryan O’Reilly out of St. Louis.

For now, the Maple Leafs have recalled defensemen Mac Hollowell and Pontus Holmberg from the Toronto Marlies.

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