Jake Muzzin Is Staying with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Forever

The Toronto Maple Leafs added some toughness and a great defender when Kyle Dubas traded for Jake Muzzin last year.

Just how good of a trade that was became apparent when Jake Muzzin was injured last month and the Toronto Maple Leafs had to play without him.

And now, after a strong year, the Leafs and Muzzin are negotiating a contract extension for him to be able to play close to home.

After this season, the Leafs have three pending UFA’s (including Muzzin). While there is speculation of a trade, one thing is certain:

If Muzzin signs with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he will continue to bring toughness to a team which doesn’t have much of it by traditional hockey standards. He also a strong defensive game, which the Leafs don’t have much of either.

Signing the 30-year-old does bring risk as well. Dubas has to be confident that he can be a strong player during the term that Muzzin is signed to. If not, the Toronto Maple Leafs could be in trouble.

But with Dubas’ signings so far, I don’t see the contract being a horrible deal. I do believe some people may not like it, but it’s Muzzin, and we need a player like him.

Even he wants to play here, he loves it — playing in Toronto, close to his hometown of Woodstock, just over an hour and a half drive from Scotiabank Arena.

What could the Muzzin extension look like?

Like I said before, he’s 30 years old and likely has three strong years left, but I could be wrong.

If I was the GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs, I would try to lock Muzzin up to a three-year, $4.5 million dollar contract. It’s not too much for a defenseman of his caliber and by the end of it, the Leafs can look at resigning him (for cheaper) or letting him go.

He’s shown that he’s capable of being a top-pairing defenseman on a team that’s looking for a Stanley Cup. At the same time, he has one and he knows what it takes — another reason to re-sign him.

At this point, with what all the insiders are saying, it looks like a contract could get done in the next few weeks, likely before seasons end.

By then, the Toronto Maple Leafs will hopefully be in a playoff spot and then, that won’t be a distraction in the playoffs.

He’s earned his right to a lot of money, but also his right to free agency, if he chooses to go there (again, unlikely). But if it does happen, the Toronto Maple Leafs will need to look for another defenseman, maybe one on their current roster now.

But as it seems right now, in the wise words of all Toronto Raptors fans when Kawhi Leonard was deciding his fate in free agency, I think, “he stay.”