Newly-acquired Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Ilya Lyubushkin will make his Toronto Maple Leafs debut Tuesday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets, head coach Sheldon Keefe announced.
The Maple Leafs traded forward Nick Ritchie and a conditional pick to the Arizona Coyotes for forward Ryan Dzingel (since waived and claimed by San Jose) and Lyubushkin on Saturday.
Lyubushkin, 27, has nine points through 46 games in his fourth NHL season. The six-foot-two Russian blueliner is currently on a one-year, $1.35-million deal.
He lined up with Rasmus Sandin in the pre-game warm-up.
Keefe also gave an update on defenceman Jake Muzzin, saying “it’s positive today in terms of how he responded.” Muzzin left Monday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens after he hit his head on the ice following an unexpected collision with opposing defenceman Chris Wideman.
After the game, Keefe said Muzzin was going to a hospital in Montreal for tests and would not travel with the team to Columbus Monday night. Keefe said Tuesday that Muzzin is now back in Toronto resting.
Jake Muzzin is resting in Toronto now. Leafs will be patient. “It’s positive today in terms of how he’s responded,” says Keefe.
— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) February 22, 2022
The incident occurred late in the second period when Muzzin slid into Wideman, who did not see the Maple Leafs defenceman coming, after joining the rush. Muzzin stayed on the ice for roughly one minute before skating off by his own power.
Muzzin has already missed seven games from late January to earlier this month with a concussion. The 33-year blueliner was on the receiving end of a hard hit into the end boards by St. Louis Blues forward Klim Kostin back on Jan. 15. Muzzin remained in the game after the hit and was not removed by a concussion spotter.
