ALL Spezza talk - to trade, not to trade, rant, rave etc.

Big Ev wrote:“Jason has been a very consistent player for us,” coach Paul MacLean said after the dramatic, 4-3 win over the Blue Jackets Saturday. “He’s really working hard at being a complete player, and I think it has shown in all the games. His shift lengths are always at a good number, he’s shooting the puck a bit more than maybe in the past ... he’s been taking a leadership role in the face off responsibilities ... I’ve been very pleased with how Jason has played.”

who the hell is paul maclean? If your name isn't one of three/four posters on this website, then your opinion of spezza doesn't matter and is most likely wrong

Seriously, I'm not the biggest spezza fan (look through my posts lately and i've been criticizing him more than anything) and I certainl¥ don't think he a great game last night but he did still have a good game and I give him credit for the 1st goal and burying the tying goal. I don't know why time and time again people always want to discount his efforts, however little it is sometimes. Damn him if he doesn't, but try not to Dung on him when he helps the team win.

Michallica wrote:

Big Ev wrote:“Jason has been a very consistent player for us,” coach Paul MacLean said after the dramatic, 4-3 win over the Blue Jackets Saturday. “He’s really working hard at being a complete player, and I think it has shown in all the games. His shift lengths are always at a good number, he’s shooting the puck a bit more than maybe in the past ... he’s been taking a leadership role in the face off responsibilities ... I’ve been very pleased with how Jason has played.”

who the hell is paul maclean? If your name isn't one of three/four posters on this website, then your opinion of spezza doesn't matter and is most likely wrong

Seriously, I'm not the biggest spezza fan (look through my posts lately and i've been criticizing him more than anything) and I certainl¥ don't think he a great game last night but he did still have a good game and I give him credit for the 1st goal and burying the tying goal. I don't know why time and time again people always want to discount his efforts, however little it is sometimes. Damn him if he doesn't, but try not to Dung on him when he helps the team win.

Well like I said yesterday, Spezza is being asked to do a lot less on the defensive side of things now. He's responsible to a certain extent but he has a lot of trouble 5 on 5 and against teams with systems, I think that's all anyone was saying. Beating up Columbus and Winnipeg isn't going to change a lot of things. It's when people make outrageous claims about how great Spezza is, that's when people like myself kind of go off.

Paul MacLean is doing the right thing by putting 2 big guys on Spezza's wing. It's been something that's been needed for a while, big guy goes after the puck, takes a defender with him, battles for the puck, the 2nd big guy drives the net, taking the 2nd defender with him, Spezza opens himself up for puck retrieval without doing the 'mucking' along the boards, something he's not too bad at, but something he'll never do consistently, so you give him the players who'll do it for him, but they also benefit hugely from Spezza's creative plays/great passing, so they're likely not complaining.

SpezDispenser wrote:Paul MacLean is doing the right thing by putting 2 big guys on Spezza's wing. It's been something that's been needed for a while, big guy goes after the puck, takes a defender with him, battles for the puck, the 2nd big guy drives the net, taking the 2nd defender with him, Spezza opens himself up for puck retrieval without doing the 'mucking' along the boards, something he's not too bad at, but something he'll never do consistently, so you give him the players who'll do it for him, but they also benefit hugely from Spezza's creative plays/great passing, so they're likely not complaining.

He certainly mucked it on the tying goal -- went behind the net with a guy draped all over him and still managed to get the puck back to the point. Yes, Spezza is the kind of player who can make those plays once in a while, and that's what makes if frustrating for those who watch the other 75% of the time he is on. He has a so-so game and is -2, then scores the typing goal and sets up the winner in his last two shifts. Still a -1 on the night, but 3 points and a W is still 3 points and a W.

He is not a workhorse; the problem is our workhorses have not been very good, so far.

Hey NEELY,

Spezza went 12-10 on faceoffs vs. Columbus. That's 54%. That ain't bad.

tim1_2 wrote:Hey NEELY,

Spezza went 12-10 on faceoffs vs. Columbus. That's 54%. That ain't bad.

He's 55% on the year, so 54% is right on. That said, Carter is their best faceoff guy and, while Vermette is no slouch, it's fair to say Spezza's night was a bit easier than it would have been otherwise.