What Does Jason Spezza’s NHL Future Hold?
“Did I do adequate?”
Jason Spezza ended the 2021-22 NHL period, the 19th of his storied vocation, in shock, with a lot more issues than responses swirling about his head as he mirrored upon one more disappointing consequence.
Immediately after serving to his hometown club to the ideal year in its 100-plus-year history, Spezza (and the Maple Leafs) ultimately wound up in an all-also-acquainted place, closing up store with 3 far more rounds of playoff hockey to go that functions, frankly, lesser groups than theirs.
Spezza failed to talk to the media on Saturday next the latest crushing Recreation 7 loss. The Leafs’ stars were the kinds to encounter the new music head-on, with Morgan Rielly, John Tavares, Auston Matthews, and Mitch Marner each individual stepping up to consider the blame in front of the sea of reporters as a substitute. But Spezza’s identify was brought extra than a number of periods to that quarter of players as they well prepared for a murky potential — and for fantastic cause.
Spezza is running out of time. Time to seize the Stanley Cup that has eluded him for just about 20 years. Time to end his vocation on the greatest of notes.
Time to earn.
It definitely felt like that time was coming this year. But now, with unrestricted no cost agency on the horizon, Spezza’s foreseeable future has never been a lot less particular.
Effectively, in a micro feeling, at the very least. Spezza’s two solutions transferring forward are extra particular than at any time: Re-indication in Toronto or retire.
Spezza designed that significantly very clear all through his yr-conclude availability on Tuesday, telling reporters that he can’t see himself playing everywhere but Toronto, and that he would soon satisfy with Kyle Dubas and the Maple Leafs’ administration group to discuss his position transferring forward.
Spezza’s off-ice value has normally been vital to the Leafs’ functionality as a unit. He’s beloved in the locker space, is liable for a couple Rudy-like motivational speeches that have propelled the players to victory, has stepped up in virtually every massive second the team has confronted all over his tenure, and sales opportunities by case in point in even the much more moment places, these kinds of as using every solitary optional skate despite staying a respected veteran.
If the Leafs firm could simply just harvest their appreciate for Jason Spezza as a man or woman into tangible on-ice effectiveness, they’d be unstoppable.
Unfortunately, that technologies has but to be invented (get on it, science!), and now Dubas & Co. should try to set their particular feelings for Spezza aside and assess whether the Maple Leafs’ roster still has area for a around-40-yr-old forward with near to two a long time of tough miles on his body who also occurs to be coming off his cheapest-scoring year given that 2003.
Which is not an easy conclusion to make. In particular provided that Spezza did feel to acquire a move back in 2021-22 after defying Father Time for so extended.
In 71 games, Spezza racked up a first rate 12 goals and 13 helps for 25 factors this year, albeit averaging the cheapest ice time of his vocation at just 10:45 per recreation while at times watching from the push box as a nutritious scratch.
The veteran’s foot speed also seemed a fifty percent-action driving what it experienced been right before, with the Leafs’ fourth line of Spezza, Wayne Simmonds, and just one of Kyle Clifford, Colin Blackwell, or Nick Abbruzzese routinely acquiring on their own out-shot and out-chanced at even-toughness.
That just isn’t to say there weren’t vibrant spots in Spezza’s match this season. His shot seemed as fatal as at any time although his 12 plans ended up the most he’s scored given that the 2016-17 period when he was continue to in Dallas.
Toronto’s fourth-line as a full could possibly have typically been out-gunned on a nightly foundation, but Spezza was the clear dazzling spot between the trio, finishing the 12 months with a 52.02 {cf07cd047201b183b19c0b335dbd7d35a498f84568531c8abe8643bd3ccfd494} share of his team’s predicted objectives and a 52.71 per cent share of their scoring possibilities at even-energy, all though winning practically 54 per cent of his draws, together with 56.79 percent in the offensive zone.
In a sport in which the margins separating victory and defeat are lesser than ever, the Leafs saw the ice tilt in their favor — albeit marginally — anytime Spezza occurred to be on it.
That, provided his bottom-six usage and minuscule cap strike, has price. Probably just sufficient to bring him back again for a fourth kick at the can.
Creating the financials perform will be tough, although. Actually hard.
Heading into the offseason, the Maple Leafs sit with just over $11 million in cap house to re-signal any blend of Jack Campbell, Mark Giordano, Ilya Mikheyev, Colin Blackwell, and Ilya Lyubushkin. And individuals are just the UFAs on the docket, with limited cost-free agents Ondrej Kase, Pierre Engvall, Timothy Liljegren, and Rasmus Sandin all probable commanding raises of their very own, as perfectly.
Clearly, the income won’t match. Not in the roster’s current point out, at the very least. And even though Spezza is a highly regarded veteran who would probably enjoy for absolutely free if the CBA authorized it, he’s not Dubas’ top priority right now.
That, however, offers both equally sides the luxurious of time.
Spezza admitted that he wasn’t completely ready to parse as a result of his foreseeable future quite however on Tuesday, telling reporters, “I’m a tiny shed right now, to be truthful.”
And that’s completely comprehensible. Match 7 is only four times aged and the sting of defeat is definitely even now fairly uncooked. But if Dubas does see a position for Spezza on the workforce subsequent season, it’s not like he’s heading any where. That presents Dubas time to shuffle the items all around to make it operate, with priority quantity one staying to uncover a dumping ground for Petr Mrazek’s albatross $3.8 million cap hit, together with, potentially, shifting on from Wayne Simmonds, who is less than contract for future period but whose part would seem mostly redundant if Spezza had been to return.
All the things is in flux at the second. Which is what a surprising defeat will do to a workforce.
But the Maple Leafs’ adoration for Spezza within just their building is as particular as at any time. And if the in shape can make perception, it is tricky not to think the entrance workplace will do what is important to give him just one remaining shot.