Drafted 141st Overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2007 NHL Draft
During the 2007 NHL Draft, the Pittsburgh Penguins selected now Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin. Muzzin, A very intriguing prospect at the time, went in the fifth round at pick 141. In the draft, Jake Muzzin only played in thirty-seven games with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL. A herniated disc injury was a major setback for the 11th overall pick of the OHL Draft. A pick that didn’t make much noise at the time. You would likely think now, looking back, that is the steal of that 2007 NHL Draft, but not so fast. Muzzin’s career path into the National Hockey League was interesting. The Pittsburgh Penguins elected not to sign Jake Muzzin at the time. He re-entered the 2009 NHL Draft and went undrafted. After the 2009 NHL Draft, since Jake Muzzin went undrafted, he made a return to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. After playing one more season as an overager with the Greyhounds, Jake Muzzin then signed with the Los Angeles Kings in 2010.
Muzzin’s NHL Debut to Today
Muzzin’s career started with an NHL debut on October 9th,2010, against the Vancouver Canucks. Jake Muzzin spent a couple of seasons alternating between the Los Angeles Kings and the Kings affiliate team, the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL, before becoming a full-time NHLer. In the 2021 season, Muzzin was a healthy scratch as the Los Angeles Kings went on to win the Stanley Cup. It was in the year of 2014 that Jake Muzzin started to break out. Muzzin maintained a full-time role with the Los Angeles Kings and was a big part of their success. The Kings went on to win two Stanley Cups in four seasons with Jake Muzzin before his major extension.
Muzzin Traded to his Hometown Maple Leafs
After finally breaking out with the Los Angeles Kings, the former OHL defenseman of the year was dealt to his hometown team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. On January 28th,2019, Jake Muzzin was traded for Leafs prospects Carl Grundstrom, Sean Durzi, and a first-round pick in 2019. After the trade, the now Maple Leafs defenseman scored thirty-seven points for the blue and white that season. Muzzin made himself a key contributor to his hometown team down the stretch and has been that for seasons. The rugged, two-way defenseman is a key part of the current Maple Leafs defense. Muzzin brings a different style of play to a Maple Leafs team that lacks grit and physicality.
Jake Muzzin Contract Status and History
Jake Muzzin’s contract status is pretty secure with the Maple Leafs. The 33-year-old defenseman from Woodstock, Ontario, signed a 4-Year contract worth $22,500,000 in 2020. Muzzin carries a cap hit of $5,265,000 per season throughout his contract and has a $4,000,000 salary for the 2022-23 season. In the early years of Jake Muzzin’s career, he signed an entry-level contract with the Los Angeles Kings. The deal with the Kings was a 3-Year term worth $2,700,000. In 2012, Jake Muzzin signed a 1-Year contract with the Los Angeles Kings for $577,500. After his 2012 season, Muzzin found himself a 2-Year extension worth $1,000,000 a season again with the Kings. After a breakout 2014 season, Jake Muzzin finally got his big contract signing a 5-Year deal worth $20,000,000 with the Los Angeles Kings. The deal had Jake Muzzin as a $4,000,000 cap hit from the 2015 season to 2020, where he was then traded to the blue and white.
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