One night after donning the sombrero of shame, Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin had a wonderful game and completely redeemed himself.
In the aftermath of the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 loss on opening night, Jake Muzzin may have been felt the slight sting of criticism for his mostly terrible performance.
He was terrible in game one. With Muzzin on the ice, the Leafs were out scored, out chanced, out shot and did not come close to winning the puck-possession battle.
Forget the two errors that led to goals – they looked bad and you remember them, but they are just what is bound to happen when you spend all night on your heels getting beat, shift after shift.
Toronto Maple Leafs Beat the Capitals
The Leafs have too many good defenseman when everyone is healthy, a surplus at Muzzin’s position, cap issues, and he makes $5.5.
Unless Muzzin is so incredibly team-first that he wants off the team, he is a player whose $5 million has to be worth it. A sub-replacement level Muzzin will destroy the Leafs ability to dress the best lineup, improve the team, etc.
But the Muzzin of last night’s game?
That guy should stay on this team.
I don’t know which Jake Muzzin the Leafs will end up getting most of the time, but tonight’s Jake Muzzin was a beast who makes the Leafs automatically into grizzled warriors just by being in the game.
Hardly anyone in the NHL, now or ever, plays like he does. He doesn’t do mad-hits, or like crazy open-ice destruction-type hits, but he’s a tough-as-nails throwback who looks like a bushman, hits, blocks shots, clears the crease and checks every single old-school box, even the (extremely rare) fight.
Muzzin is 6’3, and, for the vast majority of his career, has been a play-driving, surprisingly high scoring, two-way, hybrid defenseman, who has tended to be the second-best d-man on his NHL teams, but in fact has consistently produced star-level, “#1 defenseman-esque” numbers through his incredible ability to drive play.
More or less, his numbers from last year were good, and though he appeared to decline from his previously glorious heights, he certainly was solid in the playoffs against Tampa.
If it could somehow be done, if he can stay healthy and perform anywhere close to where he did against Washington on Thursday, he would be an immense help to what is already a very good team.
Playing just one shift less than the most on the team at 5v5, Muzzin had three shots, and was kept off the score sheet.
It doesn’t sound that great, but, the Leafs controlled 62% of the play when he was on the ice. They outshot Washington 11-2. Though the score was even during his minutes, his expected goals rating was 78%. (stats naturalstattrick.com).
He was probably the best player on the ice last night. For sure he was the Toronto Maple Leafs best defenseman. A great game, and a redemptive performance as well, after Wednesday night.