Another crucial update released on Jake Muzzin

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been without the services of veteran defensemen Jake Muzzin since mid-October when he suffered a neck injury; the full extent of the setback was revealed to be a cervical spine injury.

And there are certainly and understandably those who fear for the blue liner's future of not only playing in the National Hockey League, but being able to live a normal life off the ice. The good news is that Muzzin, however, has still managed to remain around his teammates by sitting in on team meetings and getting in workouts as best he can.

"We'll have an update, internally just for the remainder of the season in terms of what his condition is going to be as to whether he can get back at it or it's not possible," Dubas said on Thursday.

Dubas detailed that Muzzin has a follow up appointment scheduled for two weeks from now. Meanwhile, there's been a gaping hole on the blue line in Muzzin's absence. Will the Leafs be looking to add ahead of next month's NHL Trade Deadline? 

"We feel somewhat comfortable with the group and how they performed," Dubas said of his defense. "If we can improve it, we'll do that,"

Muzzin is in the midst of a four year contract that carries an $5.625 million cap hit. In the four games that he's played in this year, he's registered one assist.