Toronto defenseman Jake Muzzin was discharged from the hospital overnight but will miss the rest of the series against the Columbus Blue Jackets after a scary on-ice collision, the Maple Leafs announced Wednesday.
The team did not provide specifics about the 31-year-old’s injuries.
“He will remain in quarantine within the hotel and look to rejoin his teammates upon recovery,” read a team statement.
Muzzin took an awkward fall and appeared to hit his head late in the Maple Leafs’ 3-0 win over the Blue Jackets on Tuesday night in Toronto.
According to the Leafs, he was “alert and able to move all limbs” after being taken off the ice on a stretcher with 1:52 to play in the game.
Muzzin was down for more than 10 minutes, with medical personnel tending to him as teammates and opponents stood nearby. He was conscious, talking to the trainers and moving his extremities. Players for both teams banged sticks and cheered in support as he was taken off.
The collision happened as Muzzin was skating behind his own net. He was cross-checked in the back by Columbus’ Pierre-Luc Dubois, then fell to his knees and slid sideways toward the boards. While hunched over against the boards, Muzzin lurched forward and away from the boards to avoid teammate Mitch Marner — who was playing the puck in the corner — and collided with the back of Blue Jackets winger Oliver Bjorkstrand’s legs.
Muzzin’s head appeared to hit the side of Bjorkstrand’s left knee, and he then landed face down on the ice. No penalty was called on the play.
Muzzin played 17:06 before the injury, recording three hits and three blocked shots.
In 53 regular-season games, he had six goals and 17 assists in his first full season with the Maple Leafs.
Acquired by Toronto via trade from Los Angeles in January 2019, Muzzin has 62 goals and 190 assists in 579 games across a 10-year career spent with the Kings (2010-19) and Leafs.
The best-of-five NHL qualifier series is tied 1-1. Game 3 is on Thursday.
(Field Level Media)
