Jake Muzzin joined the Toronto Maple Leafs for practice for the first time on Thursday since being acquired earlier this week and skated on the left side of the team's defensive pairing, with Morgan Rielly on the right in the team's first drill.

Muzzin, who was traded to the Maple Leafs on Monday from the Los Angeles Kings, had been expected to pair with Rielly, though it was unclear after Monday's trade which left-shot defenceman would play on their off-side.

Rielly, who finished second in Norris Trophy voting in the Professional Hockey Writers Association's mid-season awards released last week, has spent the season to date on the left-side of the Leafs top pairing. Ron Hainsey, Rielly's partner for the past two seasons, dropped to the third-pairing in practice on Thursday and again played on the right beside Travis Dermott. 

Jake Gardiner, who missed the team's final two-games before the All-Star break, was back on the team's second pair with the Leafs right-hand shot Nikita Zaitsev.

Gardiner and Muzzin both worked on the team's second power play unit with William Nylander, Patrick Marleau and Andreas Johnsson. The Maple Leafs have used just one defenceman on each of their power play units so far this season.

Johnsson, who missed one game with a concussion before the break, returned to pratice on the fourth line with Par Lindholm and Frederik Gauthier.

Darryl Sutter, who coached Muzzin with the Los Angeles Kings from 2012-2017, said Tuesday the Maple Leafs may be best served having Rielly switch sides, since Muzzin has no experience on the right. 

“He’s never played the right side,” Sutter told the Toronto Sun. “Anybody who says he’s played the right side isn’t watching the games. He’s played zero times on the right side in L.A. I know they’re looking for the perfect guy to pair with (Morgan) Rielly. He might be that guy, but maybe Rielly has to switch to the other side.

“Some guys are better rushing on their off-side. You see a lot of left guys playing the right side but you don’t see a lot of right (shooters) playing their off side. It’s just the way it is.”

Muzzin is expected to make his Maple Leafs debut on Friday night against the Detroit Red Wings. The team announced Tuesday he will wear No. 8.