Muzzin Is Coming Home

Wednesday, 30 January 2019 08:51

Hometown Hero Jake Muzzin is expected to skate with the Maple Leafs for the first time today.

WOODSTOCK - Woodstock's own Jake Muzzin is expected to arrive in Toronto today where he will participate in his first practice with the Maple Leafs.

Local Councillor and past chair of the Recreation Advisory Committee Mark Schadenberg has been following Muzzin's career for a long time. Schadenberg says Muzzin will be a great fit with the buds.

"I think it is a terrific addition for the Toronto Maple Leafs roster on the blue line, especially if your a leaf fan and a hockey fan like I am, your not giving up anything on your current roster to acquire Jake Muzzin and pair him with Morgan Reilly. I mean Jake is a past OHL Defenceman of the year, drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins, he's played almost 500 games in the NHL now, I think he is at 496, World Cup of Hockey Gold medal with Team Canada and of course a Stanley Cup with the L.A. Kings, he certainly has a great resume."

Schadenberg notes we probably have even more Leaf fans in the Friendly City today then we did on Monday. Schadenberg says Jake Muzzin has always been great to the City of Woodstock as well.

"When Jake brought the Cup to Woodstock in 2014, is a day I will certainly never forget, it was terrific day for hockey in the City. I think some people actually found out later that he actually said, well what if nobody shows up in Downtown Woodstock for the parade. Of course the whole City of Woodstock I think came out, it was an extremely long lineup for autographs at Goff Hall and the Fire trucks were there and we had a great celebration in front of the Community Complex and it was a wonderful day for the City of Woodstock. He of course is the only one from the City of Woodstock, who has played more than say 20 games in the NHL, which is a phenomenal stat on it's own."

One person who is really happy that Jake is back in Toronto is his grandfather Clarence Woudsma.

"I have different thoughts on Jake coming to Toronto, my first thought was, well now I don't have to wait until 10:30 p.m. to watch him play in L.A."

Yesterday we learned that Jake Muzzin was a Leaf fan growing up, despite his father's love of the Montreal Canadiens. Clarence says he got his love of the Leafs from him and he is hoping to see another parade.