Spezza?

[Britishbulldog]

What kind of Spezza love-in have I walked into?

He makes me giggle....

[moon111]

Spezza is probably my 3rd favorite all-time Senator behind Chara and Brad Marsh.  Maybe a honorable mention to Norm Maciver and Bill Berg.

[LittleHockeyFan]

What kind of Spezza love-in have I walked into?

Blech....think I just threw up a little.

[Tigger]

I went to find a Tickle Me Spezza photo and instead found a Flyers blog called Down Goes Spezza, a list of baby toys included a Tickle Me Pronger, a Well Done Wellwood Oven and a Baby's First Cooke...

http://downgoesspezza.com/2011/07/nhl-baby-toys.html

[Britishbulldog]

What kind of Spezza love-in have I walked into?

Blech....think I just threw up a little.

[sb78]

As Carlton noted above, aside from being a Sen, I don't get all the hate with respect to Spezza. He's probably better than any centre we have on our team and is a bona fide centre to put on a line with Kessel (nothing against Connolly, but he's not a first line centre). I'd be more than willing to part with a package along the lines of of Gunnarson, Bozak and Macarthur (three players I actually really like) to get a deal done for Spezza.  Gardiner could slide into the top 6; Lombardi, Kadri or Frattin sould slip into Macarthur's spot on Grabo's wing;  Connolly would slip into Bozak's spot on the third line.

[Sarge]

As Carlton noted above, aside from being a Sen, I don't get all the hate with respect to Spezza. He's probably better than any centre we have on our team and is a bona fide centre to put on a line with Kessel (nothing against Connolly, but he's not a first line centre). I'd be more than willing to part with a package along the lines of of Gunnarson, Bozak and Macarthur (three players I actually really like) to get a deal done for Spezza.  Gardiner could slide into the top 6; Lombardi, Kadri or Frattin sould slip into Macarthur's spot on Grabo's wing;  Connolly would slip into Bozak's spot on the third line.

I agree... and Connolly wouldn't be wasted there either. He's going to get significant minutes on the point on the PP.

[Rob]

I'd do Kadri for Spezza straight up.

[Sarge]

I'd do Kadri for Spezza straight up.

Yeah... I don't see why one wouldn't... Unless of course they've got something against really goofy laughs.

[Nik]

I'd like to get a better sense of what player the Leafs are getting with Spezza. Playing on a line with two other all-stars he looked worth his salary. Without them, he's looked good but kind of Mike Ribeiro-esque.

[Erndog]

I'd like to get a better sense of what player the Leafs are getting with Spezza. Playing on a line with two other all-stars he looked worth his salary. Without them, he's looked good but kind of Mike Ribeiro-esque.

I don't know if it's that easy.  You can probably say the same thing for Heatley or Alfredsson for that matter.  Heatley was better with Spezza than without.

[Erndog]

Also, did he not finish the year playing with guys like Condra/Greening and Butler? 

His last 18 games of the year he had 9 goals, 16 assists for 25 points.  That's mostly AHL caliber.

[bustaheims]

I don't know if it's that easy.  You can probably say the same thing for Heatley or Alfredsson for that matter.  Heatley was better with Spezza than without.

Sure, but the difference there is a little less noticeable. I mean, last season was the 1st full season that Heatley played since his rookie season where he did score at least 39 goals or have 72+ points. Alfredsson had become a point per game player before he started lining up with Spezza. Spezza's never really played an extended stretch without at least one of them since he established himself as an NHL player, so, it's hard to really judge.

[Erndog]

I don't know if it's that easy.  You can probably say the same thing for Heatley or Alfredsson for that matter.  Heatley was better with Spezza than without.

Sure, but the difference there is a little less noticeable. I mean, last season was the 1st full season that Heatley played since his rookie season where he did score at least 39 goals or have 72+ points. Alfredsson had become a point per game player before he started lining up with Spezza. Spezza's never really played an extended stretch without at least one of them since he established himself as an NHL player, so, it's hard to really judge.

But again, Dany Heatley often played with Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau while Spezza played with guys like Colin Greening and Bobby Butler.  Dany Heatley's never had an extended period where he played with 3rd/4th line type guys.

We're grasping at straws here.  It's similar to a lot of our expectations for Kessel to score 40+ with a true playmaking center.  If Spezza had a goal scoring winger he can easily hit 50-60 assists.  He's proved that.  A few times.   

[iwas11in67]

I haven't liked Spezza play since he was with the Mississauga Ice Dogs. The ONLY way i would trade for him was if his playoff numbers were really good when they went on the cup run a few years ago.