Amazing that Muzzin's hits totals have dived off a cliff since joining the leafs, could it be age? yeah he is 30 now. But the year he was traded here he was on an 82 game pace to have 182 hits the 30 games with the leafs? a pace of 114. It would seem that a gameplan with the leafs must involve being told less hitting, that is 68 hits less over a season on pace for 114. If he played 82 with the leafs last year and had 114 hits and this year keeps up his 120 pace they are easily his lowest hit total seasons in the NHL over a full season, 162 was his lowest in LA!.
Before anyone decides that is on Dubas, dont be silly there is zero chance Dubas a GM could tell a player what they can and cant do on the ice. Babcock's gameplan involves stick checking its got to be as simple as that. So all this "softest team ever" threads must take that into account no?
Unless as i said earlier Muzzin just hit a wall and now cant hit anymore, that is of course possible if a little unlikely due to half season at LA and TO being so different last season.