Spezza in the spotlight
Senators’ centre at the core of Ottawa’s hopes against the Rangers in Game 2,
NEW YORK— Some might say that Jason Spezza was born to shine on Broadway.
The Ottawa Senators’ top centre was a baby model and child actor. He had a role in a Toronto play — Baby —when he was 1. He was cast in an orange juice commercial at 5. “My mom has scrapbooks, and we have pictures of billboards and stuff,” Spezza said on Friday. “It’s kind of cool to look back on.”
Now, of course, he’s a star hockey player cast as the emerging leader of a young Senators club. His ability to shine — to raise his game — is at the core of the Senators’ hopes heading into Game 2 against the New York Rangers.
The Senators head into Saturday’s game coming off a deflating loss in Game1. They match up well against the Rangers and were the flavour-of-the-day pick by many to upset New York. But the Sens seemed a tad overwhelmed by the atmosphere at Madison Square Garden.
“We didn’t like the result, but it was definitely fun to be in that atmosphere again,” said Spezza. “It’s an exciting building to play in. It met our expectations of how the atmosphere was going to be. And we’re a little more experienced going into next game.”
The eighth-seeded Senators made the playoffs in large part because of Spezza. At 28, he’s matured — on and off the ice. No longer is he hellbent for offence. He’s a bit more responsible defensively.
“He had a big year on the ice, but off the ice as well, he’s stepped up and been our leader, more vocal,” said defenceman Chris Phillips. “On the ice, you can see in certain times of the game when we need him to be smarter, defensive for a little bit, or a little bit safer, he’s aware of that now. He’s done a great job with that and definitely becomes a player.”
Off the ice, he’s joined the core of Senators leadership. He is still putting up big numbers — his 34 goals matched his career best. And in do- ing so — in playing a balanced game — he’s rejoined the conversation about just who are the top centres in the NHL. “Jason has taken a lot of ownership of this hockey team,” said GM Bryan Murray. “He wants to be an important guy, and given that opportunity and responsibility of helping some of the newer players on our team, he’s really been a big part of it. He’s gotten better and better over the last couple of years. This year has been, as an all-round player, his best by far.” How exactly it happens that someone suddenly starts being more responsible, not just for his game but for others, no one is quite sure. “It kind of happens overnight,” said Phillips. “You don’t know when it’s going to happen, but it always seems to be the way. You’re a young guy, young guy, young guy, then all of a sudden you’re an old guy. “There’s no magic number. Just all of a sudden.”
Murray suggests the trades he made last year — Chris Kelly and Mike Fisher departing in cost-cutting and retooling moves — might have made a difference. Some quality leaders from a previous era were gone. No longer could Spezza turn to them for help. Instead, younger players turned to him.
“I’m sure that was part of it,” said Murray. “I hope it was a wakeup call for all the veterans. . . . We’re serious. We want to be a good team.”
Spezza was among the first to buy into new coach Paul Maclean’s system. He was among the leaders who called players-only meetings when the team took a couple of downward spirals. He is a little more introspective when talking about how he’s matured.
“As a player you figure out what your weaknesses are and you try to work on them,” said Spezza. “That’s what I’ve tried to do this year. I’ve tried to be a more solid all-around player this year.
“Mac (Maclean) has done a good job of teaching me things that he thought I could do better in my game. It’s kind of a natural growth of a player.”