The Los Angeles Kings have already received a contribution from Carl Grundstrom, and will now get the other big piece from the Jake Muzzin trade to join the organization. Sean Durzi has signed his three-year entry-level contract, but will remain with the Guelph Storm of the OHL as they continue their playoff run.
Durzi, 20, was an over-aged selection when the Toronto Maple Leafs picked him 52nd overall last June, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t on NHL radars before that. The undersized but extremely effective defenseman had attended development camps previous to that but really exploded as a top prospect in 2017-18. With 15 goals and 49 points that season the Maple Leafs couldn’t pass up a chance to grab the smooth skating Durzi, but were forced to give him up less than a year later.
This year has been another excellent campaign for Durzi, who is still playing at the junior level despite being eligible for AHL hockey. He put up 37 points in 35 games during the regular season and was a force in the first round of the OHL playoffs with five more assists. While Guelph continues to try and secure a berth in the Memorial Cup, Kings fans will patiently wait for the arrival of their next solid defense prospect. Durzi has real NHL upside, though will have to spend some time refining his game in the minor leagues.
Man that trades looking nice for them.
Has Muzzy been that bad in Toronto?
No he’s been alright. Hard to judge how he’s done since they’ve been missing two of their top four basically the whole time he’s been in Toronto and probably haven’t got the lineup how they want it.
It’s just Durzi is over a point per game defncemen, Grundstrom seems to have made a pretty nice impression in the Kings organization, and they get a nice pick on top of that.
Durzi may be over a point per game but he’s also an over age OHLer. With that being said. The only way the Leafs really win this trade is if they go far in the playoffs.
To be fair he was still well over a point per game player last year and put up quite a few points the year before that.
To be fair, the Leafs do get another year of an underpaid Jake Muzzin after this to help make up the difference
Your also forgetting the kings also get a 1st rounder which adds to the shine of there deal. Muzzin while solid defensemen has limitation offensively that make him less valuable. So far this is looking like a better trade for kings outlook than leafs as they have a season and a half of true value before he becomes someone else defensemen or more expensive.