While the focus right now for the Toronto Maple Leafs has to be on how they can improve their defense for this season, general manager Kyle Dubas also has to keep one eye on the future. The team has four key defensemen scheduled for free agency at the end of the season, with Jake Muzzin, Tyson Barrie and Cody Ceci all unrestricted. The team apparently is looking for players that aren’t just pure rentals in trade, but at least one of their free agents might want to stick around. Muzzin spoke to reporters at today’s morning skate after he was recalled from a recent conditioning stint (via TSN):
The organization, the way they look after us. The guys here the buzz in the city about hockey is huge. Being close to home is always a nice touch, especially with a little one around now. There’s lots of good things here and I’d love to stay.
Muzzin, 30, is from Woodstock, Ontario, just a couple of hours down the highway from Toronto. He played most of his career to this point about as far away as you can possibly get with the Los Angeles Kings, but came to the Maple Leafs last season. A stabilizing presence on the blue line, his current five-year, $20MM deal will expire at the end of June.
If the team wants to keep one of their pending UFA defensemen, Muzzin might make the most sense. While Barrie and Ceci are both right-handed—which has been the weaker side of the Maple Leafs’ group in recent years—the former may be too expensive while the latter has struggled. Muzzin meanwhile could be right in the sweet spot in terms of salary demands, though they already have three other left-handers—Morgan Rielly, Travis Dermott and Rasmus Sandin. With Muzzin’s return tonight the team will keep Sandin in the lineup, perhaps trying out what the group could look like in a year’s time.
The veteran defenseman was also asked about the potential availability of Alec Martinez, a former partner of his with the Kings:
Oh really? I mean he’s a great, great defender. I know him well, I played with him for a long time. You know whatever happens, happens, I don’t know.
Maple Leafs need to trade William Nylander and is 6.9 million cap hit! He’s not very well liked in Toronto and if they can get a top 4 D man with a similar contract maybe something can be done there.
@billysbballz – He’s *not* well-liked in TOR? That’s downright sacrilege! He may the single reason they’re as close as they are to a playoff spot (just ask him, he’ll tell ya…so will Papa Mike). Unfortunately, which team with a legit Top-4 D would even come close to entertaining that idea? D still wins championships, and, worse yet, Willy Ny is somewhat allergic to playing effectively in his own end.
Stop with your nylander hate. The guy drives the “2nd” line and is a 1st liner on most teams, only makes 6.9 yes that a bit right now but 2-3 years from now if he keeps continues to develop he is an absolute steal. Who are they going to get with that kind of term and cap hit who plays the kind of D the leafs need? Cause only comparable I can think of is Pyrako and the blues are never going to make that trade
It’s Parayko and you are right, Armstrong would be run out of town on a rail if he did something that stupid. But Willy Ny isn’t going to get the benefit of the doubt until his game improves drastically.
Twit.
Muzzin can certainly stay if he is willing to work within Toronto’s salary structure. But in the end it will be about who pays him the most money.
Nylander for Pietrangelo , thou Willie makes $400,000 more in salary as Pietrangelo comes on at $6.4 million and Pietrangelo is a free agent at end of year. think Leafs can sign Pietrangelo to extension.
Yes that’s the best deal ever. Trade a guy with lots of term and in his prime years for someone who’s about to be making 9-10 million a year well into his mid 30s
Muzzin at 3 × $5mil is fair.
Leafs are a defense-less mess.