Confirmed with Link: TOR sign Jason Spezza to a 1 year, 700K deal

[Commander Clueless]

You know, this was a bit of interesting drama while we were waiting for the game to start.

The fact that this is still an ongoing ragefest is boggling.

 

[Bomber0104]

Putting in better numbers than they did, considering how many people say they are all defensive specialists. What I certainly did not expect the Kerfoot-Mikheyev-Moore line to have by far the best possession numbers for the game, nor Kerfoot to be number one on the team in CF. I mean, Kerfoot was basically run out on a rail by Avalanche fans, while Moore and Mikheyev are overage rookies with minimal NHL experience.

0 offensive zone faceoffs
1 neutral zone faceoff
9 defensive zone faceoffs

The other 3 lines had 10 defensive zone draws combined.

So yeah, I think the 4th line did more than fine given their deployment.

 

[VanW27]

You know, this was a bit of interesting drama while we were waiting for the game to start.

The fact that this is still an ongoing ragefest is boggling.

Agreed, honestly I thought it was about 50-50 he would make the team at all. Spezza has been bad the last couple years. The only thing that kept him in the NHL and on the ice more then in the press box in Dallas was his 7mill salary.

 

[sparxx87]

Agreed, honestly I thought it was about 50-50 he would make the team at all. Spezza has been bad the last couple years. The only thing that kept him in the NHL and on the ice more then in the press box in Dallas was his 7mill salary.

None of that matters.

Think of Jason Spezza’s feelings. And his family. And the kids. And polar bears.

 

[ottomaddox]

0 offensive zone faceoffs
1 neutral zone faceoff
9 defensive zone faceoffs

The other 3 lines had 10 defensive zone draws combined.

So yeah, I think the 4th line did more than fine given their deployment.

I love Dinosaur Jr. I saw them play at RPM in Toronto many years ago.

Sorry.

I agree with this statement.

 

[Bomber0104]

I love Dinosaur Jr. I saw them play at RPM in Toronto many years ago.

Sorry.

I agree with this statement.

How was your hearing after the show?

 

[Jarqui]

It seems that Babcock was intent on getting the three guys who would sit out game 1 into game 2.

Maricin is pegged > Holl on the depth chart
Timoshov beat out Petan who cleared waivers

I would think Spezza > Shore

So I wonder if playing Spezza tonight was to help offset the other two "lesser" players being added to the lineup tonight. It may have been a way of avoiding putting three "lesser" players in tonight's lineup - a way to somewhat balance the talent change for what they were doing.

Babcock wouldn't want to put the others down in the media saying that so he spun the PK reps thing for Spezza.

Haven't heard anyone say that but I just wondered if that might best explain what has gone on.

 

[Boutette]

None of that matters.

Think of Jason Spezza’s feelings. And his family. And the kids. And polar bears.

The extra poundage on Spezza would have fed a hungry polar bear for at least a couple days more than Shore. And he would have put up less of a fight too!

 

[BertCorbeau]

TBH I kinda expected Babs to roll Spezza out on the third line, so I’m happy with how’s this unfolded

 

[Maple Leaf]

The extra poundage on Spezza would have fed a hungry polar bear for at least a couple days more than Shore. And he would have put up less of a fight too!

We need to save our planet from its inevitable extinction

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

You know, this was a bit of interesting drama while we were waiting for the game to start.

The fact that this is still an ongoing ragefest is boggling.

It's not great optics. The value of Babcock sending a message on the ice, isn't worth the criticism off the ice. Either way though it's over now, no point dwelling on it.

 

[Menzinger]

It actually makes sense to limit Spezzas deployment (say 50 games). Keeps these old guys fresher - something Babcock definitely should have done with Marleau last year.

That said, it's hard to argue that this was anything other than poorly handed by the team in the way it unfolded. That said, should be ancient history now

 

[saltming]

Why are people acting like spezza was just playing for Ottawa last season? It's no big deal that he didn't play them opening night.

 

[Kiwi]

Why are people acting like spezza was just playing for Ottawa last season? It's no big deal that he didn't play them opening night.

People need something to complain about

I think Babcock was nice, I think he's cooked and would fire him into the sun and smile while I did it

Business is business

 

[saltming]

People need something to complain about

I think Babcock was nice, I think he's cooked and would fire him into the sun and smile while I did it

Business is business

Lol
If you were able to fire everyone you wanted to fire into the sun, the sun would die hahaha
I think we see spezza in vs heavier teams and the game one line vs faster teams.
Spezza is old, but still can play the grind board game.

 

[Crosscrease14]

Spezza probably doesn't have much left but what I don't get is the treatment after Marleau was given a pass all year last year.

Spezza has to earn his spot as a vet but Marleau was deployed ridiculously throughout the season and played higher in the lineup than he should have. There's no consistency.

I want to believe Babcock is evolving but I think he just doesn't like Spezza that much tbh.

Most frustrating part is Marleau screwed the leafs with his 3 year contract demand while Spezza's is team friendly. Could've taken more money but wanted to play here.

 

[Kiwi]

Lol
If you were able to fire everyone you wanted to fire into the sun, the sun would die hahaha
I think we see spezza in vs heavier teams and the game one line vs faster teams.
Spezza is old, but still can play the grind board game.

He's got about as much quickness as a cart-horse and can't defend in a competent manner, he's about as much use as a fly-screen in a submarine on a 4th line getting DZ deployment

Do everybody a favour and take him behind the shed like old yeller and put everybody out of there misery now, God you people are soft

 

[saltming]

He's got about as much quickness as a cart-horse and can't defend in a competent manner, he's about as much use as a fly-screen in a submarine on a 4th line getting DZ deployment

Do everybody a favour and take him behind the shed like old yeller and put everybody out of there misery now, God you people are soft

Me soft? That's a first.
I agreed that hes slow and that's why he won't play against speedy teams, but he can still win draws and protect the puck. He has some use in a very limited capacity.

 

[Kiwi]

Me soft? That's a first.
I agreed that hes slow and that's why he won't play against speedy teams, but he can still win draws and protect the puck. He has some use in a very limited capacity.

Your going soft Salt

I can see you wanting to like him while admitting he moves like a glacier and has very little use on our 4th line under Babcock

Come over to the dark side young Skywalker and admit you want to fire him into the sun as well, you know you want to

 

[Polaris1010]

Speeza is a non-story.

The guy is basically an experiment for the Leafs, because Dubas ran out of money due to the cap.

That he is a home town boy scratched in his first game here, kind of speaks volumes about expectations.

 

[saltming]

Your going soft Salt

I can see you wanting to like him while admitting he moves like a glacier and has very little use on our 4th line under Babcock

Come over to the dark side young Skywalker and admit you want to fire him into the sun as well, you know you want to

Lol!!
I've actually never been a fan. The hate from his Ottawa days rivals that which I have for Alfie.
That said, being pragmatic I can see a use for him. If he is not used in that role then maybe we can park him on the moon as compromise? I like the sun too much to send him there.
Let's see how tonight shakes out before we start jettisoning people off the planet

 

[Kiwi]

Lol!!
I've actually never been a fan. The hate from his Ottawa days rivals that which I have for Alfie.
That said, being pragmatic I can see a use for him. If he is not used in that role then maybe we can park him on the moon as compromise? I like the sun too much to send him there.
Let's see how tonight shakes out before we start jettisoning people off the planet

I just don't see a fit for him, were a speed based hard forechecking team and he's just incapable of that now, hes also better suited to a top 9 role with use since we bury our 4th line in the DZ but he's just not better than at least 10 other players (that's the Bare minimum) for a top 9 role

Nobody defeats father time and father time looks like he's taken to Spezza with a baseball bat

 

[saltming]

I just don't see a fit for him, were a speed based hard forechecking team and he's just incapable of that now, hes also better suited to a top 9 role with use since we bury our 4th line in the DZ but he's just not better than at least 10 other players (that's the Bare minimum) for a top 9 role

Nobody defeats father time and father time looks like he's taken to Spezza with a baseball bat

We are a speed based team that struggled when other teams managed to neuter our speed. Hence a spezza in the lineup.
I mean who wants to go into the corners with a dinosaur? You get eaten alive haha

My take from the offseason really was not impressed. My rationale in this debate has yet to be proven. After a few games we can circle back and either start building the launch pad, or be happy we can actually use him.

 

[TheProspector]

I was really surprised by the Babcock post-game interview. Why would Babcock out his doubts about the player to the media?

Babcock is a real piece of work.

 

[Havoc]

Spezza probably doesn't have much left but what I don't get is the treatment after Marleau was given a pass all year last year.

Spezza has to earn his spot as a vet but Marleau was deployed ridiculously throughout the season and played higher in the lineup than he should have. There's no consistency.

I want to believe Babcock is evolving but I think he just doesn't like Spezza that much tbh.

Most frustrating part is Marleau screwed the leafs with his 3 year contract demand while Spezza's is team friendly. Could've taken more money but wanted to play here.

Marleau was one of our most productive players in the first year of his contract. He earned his usage.

Babcock messed up by not realizing Marleau un-earned his usage a season later. Kept believing game 7 of 17 / 18 Marleau would show up....but it never happened.

Spezza on the other hand sucks from the get-go.

One of the knocks on Babcock is he's stubborn. Perhaps he did learn from his Marleau mistake which is why he refuses to make the same mistake with Spezza?