Spezza

[leftylucas]

This guy must be driving Harty crazy. One game (Buffalo) he is responsible defensively, coming back, fighting on the boards etc. Last night he stunk, stunk, stunk. He always shys away from hitting a player and he is the weakest guy on the team when it comes to puck possession. He seldom wins that battle. He is poke checking 99% of the time in the O-zone and D-men simply have to protect the puck and once Spez swoops by they can leisurely exit the zone. Heatley seems to be a bit better and will lay a hit once in a while but Spez, never. He has no reason except that he does not like it, he is a finesse player.

Harty has to stay on this guy to give him the chance to change his style but the lack of effort I saw last night would make me sit him for a while and give someone else a chance. What really irked me was his skating back to the O zone once they lost possession. All the other Ottawa players have their head down digging to get back and Spezz was always the last to get there and he never looked for his man and was waiting for the puck to come to him.

At this point I would trade him for a young puck moving D-man and sign Sundin, that would be a great inprovement. Columbus has a couple of these and would love to get a great Offensive player like Spezza.

[golfisforfun]

Spezza for Bowmeester???

Any takers???

Bowmeester is much more valuable in my opinion.

[leftylucas]

That sounds interesting except Jacques Martin knows exactly what Spezza is all about and may not bite on that one. I think we need a young D-man who can move the puck and would come somewhat cheaper than Spezz to open up some cap room for Sundin. Of course we would have to sign the latter first or have something in the works till it happens. I still say if Harty sits Spezza for a game after a little talk and some video to show him the error of his ways it may wake the man up. He has the size and I get so frustrated when I see him come bearing down on a guy and just poke the puck and skate away.

[Weazl]

Are you mad? Sundin would ruin this team worse than any disease on the planet!

Sundin would be a plague....

[leftylucas]

Really, his style of play would be great with Heatley. I do not know much else about him but please let me know what is so bad about him coming here, you seem to know something I dont, but thats not difficult.

[golfisforfun]

I am not a Sens Fan or a Leafs fan. Sundin is a very, very good player. He has played on a crap team for years and still produced. I think every team in the league would be happy to get him.

In terms of Spezza, why can't everyone quit thinking that this coach will be able to change him. NO coach has been able to change him and NO coach will change him. That is the way he plays. That is his personality. You will not change him. It is that style of play that got hi to the NHL.

You can't try and teach players to score when they are not scorers. You can't teach someone to hit, when they aren't hitters. Everyone has a style of play and that's what makes up the team.

Each night Spezza might help the team score a few goals and he might also cost a few goals. It balances out. That's the way it will always be. Every other team in the league knows it.

[Weazl]

Ha ha ha. He's old, costsway too much, would take time to develop with the other players which we don't have, and would throw off the chemistry of the team on Offense. Not to mention he woul dbe an Ex-Leaf. Plus, on the bias side, I don't think he's that good. Over-rated to be honest. Look how the Leafs are performign without him. PLAGUE!!!!

[leftylucas]

I agree that SPezza may not be able to change his style but Stevie Y was very much like Spezza, one dimensional. Bowman changed him and I say we gotta give the coach the benefit to change his style then get rid of the bum.

[leftylucas]

Ha ha ha. He's old, costsway too much, would take time to develop with the other players which we don't have, and would throw off the chemistry of the team on Offense. Not to mention he woul dbe an Ex-Leaf. Plus, on the bias side, I don't think he's that good. Over-rated to be honest. Look how the Leafs are performign without him. PLAGUE!!!!

All valid points but he is one heck of a player, saw him the Olympics and he was awesome. Chemistry is with any new player coming in so that is a wash. If we get a guy like Sundin who can score and feed Heatley then it will be awesome. I was more worried about the clash between he and Alfie, its well documented that they do not like each other.

[Weazl]

Do we think Bowman changer Stevie Y, or did Stevie Y change Stevie Y??? I would say the only way Spezza eliminates the turnovers if HE focusses on this. I will take the 90-100 points a year we get from him and live with his style of play. One check wouldn't kill him though.

[Mattchew]

personaly I think Spezza tries to hard to please the fans. he has his worst games at home! Always trying to make that unbelivable pass or deak for that great goal but ends up on the other teams stick. Just needs to play simple hockey and he will get the job done. Spezza will not be going and if he does I think it would be a stupid deal. To get rid of Spezza to bring in Sundin??? Spezza will score 80-100 points a year so might Sundin for a couple years, but what difference does it make for the sens to let a young guy go to bring in an old guy to do the same thing! Spezza is not a Fisher who can play stong on both sides of the puck but Fisher is not going to get 100 point season. Spezza is paid to score not to hit. I would like to see him play a little harder off the puck and I think Hartsburg will get him doing that sooner than later, but he is never going to be a Zetterburg type player.

[Fallys0820]

I agree that SPezza may not be able to change his style but Stevie Y was very much like Spezza, one dimensional. Bowman changed him and I say we gotta give the coach the benefit to change his style then get rid of the bum.

I cannot believe that this comparison has been made. Stevie was a great all-around talent that made other people around him great. Spezza could be removed from this team and a year down the road you wouldn't be pining for his return. He's a 90pt liability. Some teams would chomp at the bit for that talent if they had the defence to support it. Ottawa right now doesn't, and when your forwards put cough-up pressures on your defence, it makes for a difficult night.

But Steve Yzerman has 10x the hockey sense that Spezza has, not to mention PR sense. Spezza sounds like a boob most of the time.

Sundin wouldn't go to Ottawa, anyway...he wants to play for a contender

Fally
aka Scott

[leftylucas]

Hey Scott, believe me no one is commaring Stevie Y to Spezza, what I was hoping is that Spezz could turn his game around like SY did and if the coach could help him then that would be great. And it goes without saying that the individual must also commit to changing the way he plays. With a huge salary in his pocket I just do not see Spez making a change like SY but if he at least tries then the team and he would benefit. I am sure that his teamates will also bring it to his attention when they are working hard and he is "floating" around.

[leftylucas]

All good points guys but they all concentrate on the regular season and once the playoffs hit Spezz will be a major target and he is soft. I would still make a deal for a young puck moving d-man for Spez if I could be garanteed Sundin. He is tough as nails, has always played against every other teams best d-line and still put up great numbers. He for one would not disappear in the playoffs, we just need to look at the past Leaf-Sens history in the playoffs to know that.

[sillywilly]

spezza out 6 weeks. torn something... maybe that is why he played so poorly

[jeffc]

spezza out 6 weeks. torn something... maybe that is why he played so poorly

where did you read that?

[Foddz]

Senseless rumour mongering, methinks. Sens website says nothing, google search turns up nothing...

[Indio]

Sundin wouldn't go to Ottawa, anyway...he wants to play for a contender

So that eliminates Toronto and Vancouver from the list then

[Golfbum]

So that eliminates Toronto and Vancouver from the list then

He likely wants to go play in San Jose We could use him on the 3rd or 4th line. $2 mil for the remainder of the season and all the sunshine he can handle

[spackler]

He likely wants to go play in San Jose We could use him on the 3rd or 4th line. $2 mil for the remainder of the season and all the sunshine he can handle

I thought they only liked guys who choked in the playoffs in San Jose?

[Baxter]

Scott,

I'm sorry but it took Yzerman many, many years to learn how to be a leader and be able to raise his game plus his teammates. That was the knock against Steve for not being able to get the players around him to play better in the playoffs...He was able to get his game up but NOT the rest of the Team. Some how he learnt how to do that like all Great players do..
Mario Lemieux was a huge loafer until he says "He was able to learn how to raise his game and lead from Wayne in the 87 Canada Cup". He claims and gives Wayne full credit for the change in his game
.
If there is any problem it should with Alfie not being able to lead and to bring the players around him up to his level of play when the games matter, not Jason Spezza.
The one player that raises his game up every year come playoff time is Chris Phillips.
But you need your Captain/Leaders to do it....Gretzky, Lemieux, Messier, Sakic, Yzerman, Scott Stevens, Niedermayer, Lidstrom, Brodeur, Roy...These guys raised their level of play and their Teammates followed their lead and they have many rings to prove it.
Spezza needs more time before he is called a liability and can't win.....
Steve Yzerman started in 1984 and won 13 years later in 1997

All that said...Spezaa is not the Team captain is not expected to carry the Team like the Captain...

Cheers,
Dave

[Golfbum]

I thought they only liked guys who choked in the playoffs in San Jose?

And your team last won the Stanley Cup in what year?

[spackler]

And your team last won the Stanley Cup in what year?

My team last won it 1993. The Senators last won it in 1927. And the Sharks won it in.....

[Golfbum]

My team last won it 1993. The Senators last won it in 1927. And the Sharks won it in.....

Well you got me there. The Habs won it in 1993. Since then, no Cups.
Now the Sharks came into the league in 1991. So far no Cups. So they have 2 seasons longer in the Cup drought then the Habs do. I'd say your team is not that far ahead of mine when you compare the years from 1991 to present!

Isn't this thread about Spezza?

[leftylucas]

Spezza sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!! He must be feeling the pressure from his own players as well. He is making poor decisions with the puck. Why cant he play like he did on Buffalo last week. He was not a terror hitting people but he was competing and working hard in both ends of the ice. Since then its the same old Spezz. Against Washington and Philly his line was continually hemmed in its own zone. It needs alot of work.

[sillywilly]

spezza out 6 weeks. torn something... maybe that is why he played so poorly

source? he has played both games since you posted this.. stop spreading rumors you idiot

[leftylucas]

Did you not just call yourself an idiot? You quoted yourself.