Insider Pitches Wild Theory About Jake Muzzin; Ex-Leafs GM Kyle Dubas Shares Candid Response
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Ex-Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas admits that a pivotal injury to defenseman Jake Muzzin may have altered the Leafs' future more than fans even realize.
Much has been made of the Maple Leafs' failure to launch during their contention window in the entire Core 4 era. Now, without Mitch Marner in the fold, the Leafs will have to rely less on pure skill and more on team play to get the job done.
Now, a new idea has come to light, which suggests that an unfortunate injury may have been a pivotal moment in the contention window. In a recent interview with Kyle Dubas, Jeff Marek presented a unique and previously overlooked theory -- one that states that Jake Muzzin's injury in 2020 was far more significant and impacted the team's success more than many realize.
Dubas was asked directly if he felt that the Muzzin injury was the reason why the Leafs haven't succeeded. Dubas did agree to an extent, noting how that setback robbed the Maple Leafs of an element they desperately needed: size, grit, and defensive stability at a time when their roster was built almost entirely on skill.
"Muzz got injured against Columbus in 2020, in the bubble in the first game and then missed games six and seven in 2021 and then, in the 2022-23 season, his career ended, and so he was brought in specifically for defensive purposes and to kill penalties and be the guy that could play against other teams' best players and when he was healthy and at his best he added a tremendous element to our group in Toronto."
Throughout his tenure, Dubas' Maple Leafs were highly talented, but often lacked that physical presence on the back end. It wasn't until Dubas' final season that he traded for Jake McCabe, Ryan O'Reilly, and Noel Acciari to finally bring legitimate toughness into the lineup, addressing a number of key roster holes.
Before that, Muzzin had been the one player who could fill that void. Toronto paid a steep price to acquire him, sending Sean Durzi, Carl Grundstrom, and a first-round pick to Los Angeles in exchange for Muzzin. His role back then was almost exactly what Jake McCabe or Chris Tanev provides the Leafs today.
"We definitely missed him and tried to do our best to fill in, and that was the acquisition of Jake McCabe at the deadline in 2023 but we sure would have liked to have had both."
If Muzzin were still healthy, his presence could have been a huge X-factor for Toronto. Not only would he have added much-welcome depth to the Maple Leafs' already deep blue line, but his stability might have shifted management's decisions entirely.
Perhaps the Leafs would never have felt the need to pursue Brandon Carlo, allowing them to keep top prospect Fraser Minten. But sadly, Jake Muzzin's career came to an end in 2023, and the Maple Leafs, while trying to replace him, have, of course, missed his presence.
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