Leafs' Jake Muzzin diagnosed with concussion after violent collision

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be forced to play without Jake Muzzin for the foreseeable future.

Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe announced Tuesday that Muzzin had been diagnosed with a concussion after being hit by St. Louis Blues’ forward Klim Kostin.

Muzzin was shaken up before the goal from this hit by Klim Kostin pic.twitter.com/NdSAgJgmD4

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) January 16, 2022

Muzzin skated in practice on Monday, but sat out Tuesday’s practice after feeling symptoms.

“It rocked me pretty good,” Muzzin told reporters after Monday’s practice of the hit by Kostin. “It kind of startled me the rest of that shift for sure.”

In 35 games this season, the 32-year-old Muzzin has one goal and 10 assists.

“I wasn’t very good,” Muzzin said of his performance in Saturday’s game against the Blues, which the Leafs ended up winning by a 6-5 score. Muzzin played 28 shifts in the win, totaling 19:46 of ice time for the Leafs.

Muzzin skated mostly alongside third-year defender Timothy Liljegren, who scored his first NHL goal in the game.

Per TSN’s Mark Masters, the Leafs are now rolling out defence pairings of:

• Morgan Rielly – TJ Brodie
• Rasmus Sandin – Timothy Liljegren
• Travis Dermott – Alex Biega

Muzzin’s injury is the second absence for the Leafs of a top-four defender, with Justin Holl currently being in the league’s COVID-19 protocol.

A Muzzin-less Leafs will be travelling to New York for a pair of road games against the Rangers and Islanders on Wednesday and Saturday, respectively.