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Coach Sutter: ‘Struggling’ Muzzin can’t keep turning over the puck

Jake Muzzin

Jake Muzzin #6 of the Los Angeles Kings skates against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on September 17, 2013 in Anaheim, California. (September 16, 2013 - Source: Jeff Gross/Getty Images North America)

Defenseman Jake Muzzin got his big break last season, playing in 45 games with the Kings. The 24-year-old has a bright future ahead of him, but Kings coach Darryl Sutter isn’t happy with his recent play.

“He’s struggling a lot,” Sutter told LA Kings Insider.

Although Muzzin has a goal and an assist in three games, Sutter took issue with Muzzin’s role in a turnover to Rick Nash that led to Brad Richards netting the game-winning goal in the New York Rangers’ 3-1 victory on Monday.

“Muzzin [is] going to have to learn not to turn the puck over if he wants to play, period,” Sutter said.

Sutter thinks part of the problem is that Muzzin got hurt during the preseason and that messed with his preparations. In retrospect, Sutter believes that Muzzin would have been better served as a healthy scratch in the season opener so that he would have gotten a bit more time to get into game shape.

At this point though, Sutter isn’t committing to making him a healthy scratch, even if he expects more form the young blueliner.

Related:

Williams rips Kings for ‘lousy, dispirited, soft’ loss to Rangers

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