Jason Spezza signed a one year $700,000 contract to join his hometown Maple Leafs for the 2019-20 season. He knew coming into the year that his role would be limited and he would likely only get a chance further up in the lineup to fill in for injured players.
"Coming here, I just wanted a role. I wanted to be a part of the team, and I knew I'd be a guy who can move up and down the lineup, help out and fill holes with injuries. I want a chance to win. That's why I came here.”
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Although he wouldn't be playing 15+ minutes a night anymore, Spezza expected to be in the lineup on a regular basis. Then Leafs head coach Mike Babcock did not dress Spezza for the season and home opener against the Ottawa Senators, the team the veteran centre began his NHL career and spent parts of 11 seasons with.
"Opening night was definitely a little different, but I came here to try to win. And if you want to have a good locker room, when things don't go your way, you have to keep your head above water. You have to keep everybody else positive.”
"If you ask my wife how I felt about it, she gets the truth [chuckles]. If you ask my teammates, you try to make it seem as little as possible. That's the reality of the situation, and that's why I'm obligated to do that — because I want to be in a positive dressing room.”
There was a time earlier this year where players like Travis Dermott and Zach Hyman were returning to the roster and moves had to be made by Kyle Dubas and Leafs' management to keep the team salary cap compliant. With Spezza not playing much under Babcock, there was a chance he would have to be waived.
"I didn't worry. I knew that there was talk and possibility [of getting waived due to salary-cap restrictions], but I didn't worry because it doesn't do you any good. I just kind of came to work, and I tried to stay sharp because I knew things change in a hurry.”
"Even with the last couple games with Babs here, I was forced to play more because we had injuries — and if I wasn't ready, then who knows where that would have put me?”
Since the beginning of the year Spezza, being a 16 year NHL vet, has tried to be a leader in the locker room as much as he can. This proved difficult when not in the lineup every night, but since the coaching change, he has had more of an opportunity to have a significant impact on and off the ice.
"[Staying optimistic] is not an act for me. I love coming to the rink. I love practising every day. I love just being around the guys, and that's something I don't take for granted. I get to come here every day and play and practise, and it's fun. I want to spread that to the other guys.”
"If you see a guy sagging a little bit, I take it upon myself to talk to a guy. Some guys come to you with questions — it's more casual than formal. Sometimes you see a guy sagging with confidence, or you see a guy that's not happy with how things are going. And that's my job, to recognize that and to help them.”
"I had great mentors. Daniel Alfredsson — we had a great relationship early in my career. Bryan Smolinski was the guy that gave me a kick in the ass when I needed it, if I was sulking as a young guy. Chris Phillips, Wade Redden, just guys that I could always trust that they were reading the pulse of the room. They were really helpful to me, and I think that's why I had a good career.”
"Now I'm in the lineup every night. And then I wasn't. So, yeah, I have a bigger impact in the room and everywhere just because I'm playing. And then you get to see things. You get to see how the room's reacting, and that's where you really can use your experience. When you're out of the lineup, you're just trying to stay out of the way and stay upbeat and trying to keep yourself sharp."
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Sheldon Keefe has been impressed with Spezza over the course of his first few weeks behind the Maple Leafs' bench. Here's what Keefe had to say about him:
"First off, he's just been a great voice in the locker room and on the bench. You know, we don't have a lot of guys that are overly vocal on the bench and talk a lot. He's got a great rapport with the referees and linesmen. Those things make a difference for a young team like ours.”
"And then on the ice, he's the guy that just shows his ability to make a play, shows an ability to produce for us on that second power-play unit. If he gets a chance at even-strength, he has the ability to score on it too."
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Jason has had a positive start playing under Keefe, putting up 5 points while playing in 7 of the 10 games played since the ex-Marlies coach got promoted. He's enjoyed the style of play Keefe has implemented and is having much more fun playing hockey.
"Our team as a whole is playing with more pace and a little more enthusiasm. I think we're growing our game to what Sheldon wants us to play."
"He wants us to play tenacious without the puck so we can get it back quick. We're trying to play defence really fast. We're trying to protect the middle of the ice. And when we have the puck, we're trying to not give it up."
"There's maybe more communication with the coach now, but I don't know if it's worth comparing before and after."
Jason Spezza loves hockey and he loves being a Maple Leaf. He wants to win and he wants to win in Toronto.
"It was frustrating not being the lineup at the start of the year, but now I'm in the lineup, we
have a good team, and we're trying to build, and it's fun to play."
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Source: Sportsnet
