TORONTO, ON - MAY 2: Jake Muzzin #8 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the first period in Game One of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Scotiabank Arena on May 2, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Leafs' Muzzin out for rest of season, playoffs due to spinal injury

Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / Getty

Jake Muzzin's season is officially over.

The Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman won't play again in 2022-23 as he continues to recover from a cervical spine injury, the club announced Wednesday.

Muzzin, who turned 34 on Tuesday, has been out indefinitely since November. At the time, he was expected to be re-evaluated in February. The team will provide another update on his status during training camp in the fall.

The blue-liner was limited to four games this season, last suiting up for a loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Oct. 17. He left that contest following an awkward collision with opposing forward Clayton Keller.

Muzzin has been on long-term injured reserve, which allows the Leafs to exceed the salary cap by $5.625 million - his cap hit through 2023-24 - while he's out of the lineup.

The veteran has a history of head and neck ailments. He was stretchered off during the playoffs in 2020, and he played only 47 games last season.

Toronto acquired Muzzin in a 2019 trade with the Los Angeles Kings.

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