Waived: [TOR] Maple Leafs waive C Jason Spezza and G Aaron Dell

[Red Piller]

yes a team will really decide it improves their roster to claim a player that has publically stated he would rather retire than report anywhere else. herp derp

you seem very defensive. It doesn’t matter if he refuses to report or not. I guess he will be forced to retire then. Herp derp indeed

 

[SmoggyTwinkles]

What are you doing here if that's your take on it ?

Masochism ?

Not sure. Let me get back to you on that:

mas·och·ism
/ˈmasəˌkizəm,ˈmazəˌkizəm/
Learn to pronounce
noun

1. the tendency to derive pleasure, especially sexual gratification, from one's own pain or humiliation.
   "with things such as bondage and masochism, it's all right if you both go for it"
   • (in general use) the enjoyment of what appears to be painful or tiresome.
     "isn't there some masochism involved in taking on this kind of project?"

 

[Halla]

you seem very defensive. It doesn’t matter if he refuses to report or not. I guess he will be forced to retire then. Herp derp indeed

lol. sorry to say bud, but teams arent really out there trying to screw over another team just for the sake of it, especially over a 4th line vet forward.

imho
Dell claimed - NYI
Spezza unclaimed


lets see how it breaks down

 

[SmoggyTwinkles]

Nope.

I simply wanted to respond to the OP with my own unaffected opinion before I read the rest of the thread. And now I will go away.

 

[Red Piller]

lol. sorry to say bud, but teams arent really out there trying to screw over another team just for the sake of it, especially over a 4th line vet forward.

imho
Dell claimed - NYI
Spezza unclaimed


lets see how it breaks down

So the bottom line here is Toronto is trying to pull one over on everyone else and nobody can claim him because “it looks bad” is that the story being spun here? If you claim this player lol too bad for you! While you may be correct, that is also a bad look and hurts the spirit of why this process is there in the first place

 

[zizbuka]

Why didn't teams offer sheet Cirelli? Why didn't anyone claim Perry? You're wasting your time. Spezza is a HOF player and no GM is going to force him to play for their team when he clearly only wants to live with his family and play with his boyhood team.

HOF for Spezza? I know the bar's been lowered lately, and Spezza's a good guy, but that's a stretch I think.

 

[Prairie Habs]

OK:

Do some research before you post.

Jason Spezza is a Toronto born player. He is most known for playing for the Ottawa Senators for nearly his entire career.

Jason Spezza somehow ends up on the Toronto Maple Leafs at the end of his career because it suits him and his family (and maybe was always a dream for him too, maybe he's got pajamas, who knows)

Jason Spezza is SCRATCHED for the season opener on his DEBUT with the Maple Leafs, who are playing the OTTAWA SENATORS, the team that he represented his whole career.

It's so disrespectful, I'm only now realizing how f***ing shitty that was.

'It's a joke': Reaction to Mike Babcock scratching Jason Spezza for Toronto Maple Leafs opener - TSN.ca

Wow. (and i already knew this I just didn't really let it click like it is now)

So if that was Babcock. Just wow. But maybe it went higher than that, I don't and cannot know. But I can only assume it was a Babcock power struggle with someone else, and that's sad.

*not including the brief 400 games he played for Dallas

 

[Pointteen]

Please just let this happen

Signed,
Oilers Nation

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

What if Tampa or Colorado put in a claim? Spezza doesn't have a cup, think he reconsiders if one of the top teams in the league wants him?

 

[Leaf Fans]

I like you...

Very kind of you to to say that. Often being liked is directly correlated to one's opinions on the board. Glad to cultivate your acquaintance and celebrate sometimes different opinions.

 

[SotasicA]

The Devils don't have a backup. They might be interested in Dell. Or the Capitals?

 

[jetsv2]

What if Tampa or Colorado put in a claim? Spezza doesn't have a cup, think he reconsiders if one of the top teams in the league wants him?

I doubt it, he wants to be with his family in Toronto. You don't have your agent go out and announce you plan to retire if anybody claims you if you might be willing to go to a couple of teams.

 

[leafsfan2point0]

I’m kind of expecting to lose Dell, it hurts the goalie depth, but if he gets a chance to play then it’s probably for the best. I will be angry if Spezza is claimed though.

 

[Steveei]

I’m kind of expecting to lose Dell, it hurts the goalie depth, but if he gets a chance to play then it’s probably for the best. I will be angry if Spezza is claimed though.

Meh doesnt really matter. If hes really not gonna report to the team, the team would have to put him on waivers again to terminate his contract, if thats the case no team will claim him and Leafs can just reclaim him.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

What's the quarantine rules for going from Canadian team to a US one, is it also 2 weeks?

That might be enough of a deterrent to put a team south of the boarder off of claiming him.


Even then I still doubt he'll last long enough on the waiver wire for Kenny to grab him.

 

[leafsfan2point0]

Meh doesnt really matter. If hes really not gonna report to the team, the team would have to put him on waivers again to terminate his contract, if thats the case no team will claim him and Leafs can just reclaim him.

True.. It’s just the disrespect factor though if it did happen.

 

[Green]

I don't think any team would pickup Spezza , but I do have a problem with a player crying and saying he will retire if another team picks him up. I think the league should give the player/agent a fine and tell them to shut up.

for real, seems like a good way for a player especially a veteran to conspire with a team to clear waivers, should be a rule against a player making a statement like that

 

[Ciao]

for real, seems like a good way for a player especially a veteran to conspire with a team to clear waivers, should be a rule against a player making a statement like that

You want a rule that a player can't threaten to retire?

 

[MomoSissokko]

I can see Devils and Hawks claim Dell before it is Oilers turn, maybe even Panthers

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

What's the quarantine rules for going from Canadian team to a US one, is it also 2 weeks?

That might be enough of a deterrent to put a team south of the boarder off of claiming him.


Even then I still doubt he'll last long enough on the waiver wire for Kenny to grab him.

There is no national US quarantine rule.

Various US states might have their own requirements. I suppose the NHL might also have their own internal mandates.

 

[JianYang]

What if Tampa or Colorado put in a claim? Spezza doesn't have a cup, think he reconsiders if one of the top teams in the league wants him?

Whatever team that is thinking about claiming him will probably just contact his agent directly to see if he would be interested.

A true cup contender might change his mind, but he's 37, and he might have family reasons not to move anywhere else too. I'm taking what is agent put out there at face value.

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

I think this is a situation where it would make sense to allow players to waive their waiver-eligibility for a transaction, similar to waiving a NMC/NTC, or at least to have done it for this season, or perhaps to make it available for 35+ players.

Spezza is maybe just not able to play at his best for every game, especially in this condensed season. That's fair. Perhaps Thornton as well. Spezza makes more money sitting on the TS than he does on a regular NHL roster, since TS salaries are AHL, he makes the same in the AHL as in NHL, and AHL salaries are cleared of escrow. These are reasons why the players association would want this, and my understanding is that it is really the PA that have a vested interest in the waiver system, not so much NHL teams.

I can see if small-market teams might take exception to teams burying NHL-quality players in the TS and inflating their salary paid out outside the cap (it's a vector for cap circumvention), but if the issue really is that Spezza is not able to keep up with this condensed schedule, then that is in a way the spirit of the TS, cap rules aside. It's like a conditioning stint but the conditioning that is required is rest.

Spezza being waived and his agent sending out this threat might just be a way to try and have a player waive their waiver eligibility in this manner.

 

[The Podium]

So the bottom line here is Toronto is trying to pull one over on everyone else and nobody can claim him because “it looks bad” is that the story being spun here? If you claim this player lol too bad for you! While you may be correct, that is also a bad look and hurts the spirit of why this process is there in the first place

for real, seems like a good way for a player especially a veteran to conspire with a team to clear waivers, should be a rule against a player making a statement like that

Spezza is on his last legs as a 20+ year vet in this league. His retirement wouldn’t be some conspiracy, as he has legitimate reasons too. If he prefers to play in Toronto and Toronto only he has earned that right for sticking in the league as long as he has. No one can force him to play, he’s not contractually obligated nor does he need the peanuts owed to him.

It isn’t hurting the spirit of the process, since the situation itself is pretty unique.

 

[janesy12]

What if Tampa or Colorado put in a claim? Spezza doesn't have a cup, think he reconsiders if one of the top teams in the league wants him?

I was thinking this as well. Sure, he loves playing for his childhood team, but man the chance of a cup has gotta play on his mind if it were to happen.

 

[cowboy82nd]

That would create enemies around the league for nothing.

force a vet into retirement 3 games into the season for spite?

kinda silly.

How is that "forcing" a player to retire? If a team claims him and he doesn't want to report, that's ALL on the player.