[Signing] Maple Leafs sign Jason Spezza

[Alflives]

38 minutes ago, oldnews said:

unfortunately for the Leafs, Schaller got those points in legit 4th line minutes, whereas Spezza....is a prototypical  one way top 6 or bust - who was a top 6, but he's declined fairly signficantly the past few years.   Lots of top 6 types can extend their careers by playing two way depth hockey later in their career - that does not strike me as Jason Spezza however.  Will be interesting to watch.  I suspect this is something they looked in connection with dumping Kadri - in which case I think they need to add a legit hard minutes shutdown C - something they couldn't be bothered to do last year or last deadline and I think it came back to  bite them, hard,  in the playoffs.

 

I hadn't realized the Leafs youth needed mentorng - I'd heard the rebuild was done some time ago.

Spezza is a warm body, and he comes cheap.  The Leafs are going to have terrible bottom to the lineup.  

[canuck73_3]

4 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Spezza is a warm body, and he comes cheap.  The Leafs are going to have terrible bottom to the lineup.  

They're planning on Losing to the Bruins in less than 7 games next season. 

[Coconuts]

He's cheap and that's enough for Toronto

 

Surely he could have found a landing spot elsewhere 

[Rush17]

1 hour ago, oldnews said:

Good faceoff guy, reasonable depth/secondary scoring - but not a 4th line, shutdown/matchup center as they appear to be attempting to sell him as.

 

I can see this deal making more sense if they sell Kadri and get Spezza into easier 3rd line minutes geared to secondary scoring.

 

But the guy has never been a decent player without the puck - not very good 'possession' player, no grit, losing a step, and not exactly poised to transform into a hard minutes C imo.

 

Dump Kadri - get a legitimate 4C - and I could see the sense in this move, otherwise as advertised, not so much.

Sutter for Kadri let's go 

 

I kid.

[CanadianRugby]

2 hours ago, canuck73_3 said:

Doesn't address any of their needs. So in other words typical Dumbass move. Not sure why you and @CanadianRugby continually pom pom bad Leaf moves. 

Other than adding draft picks and tanking a few years ago, what Leaf moves have I praised?  I don't remember there being any. 

[oldnews]

2 hours ago, Silver Ghost said:

This

 

You would be hard pressed to find a worse shutdown center if you were trying.

Looks like they did what I thought they would - dump Kadri - likely to use Spezza in more of a secondary scoring role - and I'm assuming they will now go out with the intent of adding a legit 4th line center, but you never know.

[Losing With Pride]

Next to Kawhi, Spezza has one of the best laughs in the world.