With a week long All Star break finally in the rear-view mirror, the Ottawa Senators return to the ice at the Canadian Tire Centre. A familiar face awaits.
It’s a game Jason Spezza has had circled on his calendar since the start of the season. After playing more than 700 games in a Senators’ uniform, Spezza returns to Ottawa for the first time as a member of the Dallas Stars.
Over the course of his 11 seasons in the Nation’s Capital, Jason Spezza was a consistent offensive threat yet never has a player polarized the fan base quite the way he did. There were those that loved him for his offensive gifts but at the same time, a vocal minority that couldn’t stand his drop passes and perceived lack of commitment to the defensive parts of the game. He was always a high risk/high reward type of player and some fans and media in this city just couldn’t accept that.
But the reality is Jason Spezza was a point a game player. The kind of top line centre all teams are looking for and Ottawa was lucky to have him all those years. At the same time, Spezza and the Senators had reached the point where it was the right time to move on. Dallas got a great player but that contract he signed earlier this season is a scary one. That’s a pretty big gamble to take on a guy that has had significant back issues throughout his career.
When Spezza returns to the ice in Ottawa tonight, anything other than a huge ovation would be a mistake. He had a fantastic career in Ottawa and deserves to be recognized for that tonight.
The Senators kick off the stretch run of their season a full ten points back of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They have some serious ground to make up and will have a chance to do that with a stretch of games on home ice. Ottawa will play 9 of their next 11 games at the CTC with the two road games in New Jersey and Buffalo. It’s going to be damn near impossible for Ottawa to play their way back into a playoff spot but the schedule over the next few weeks should give fans at least a glimmer of hope.
With a week to think about it, Dave Cameron and the Coaching Staff have hit the ol’ reset button on the forward line combinations. MacArthur and Turris have been separated for the first time in a couple seasons and the result is a whole new look up front. Here’s how the Senators will look for tonight’s game.
Michalek-Turris-Stone
MacArthur-Zibanejad-Ryan
Hoffman-Pageau-Chiasson
Condra-Lazar-Neil
Methot-Karlsson
Cowen-Ceci
Phillips-Gryba
Robin Lehner gets the start in the Ottawa goal. Puck drop is scheduled for just after 7:30 PM with the game available on TSN5.
-In case you missed it yesterday, Mayor Jim Watson announced that on March 5, 2015, Daniel Alfredsson will be given the key to the city. It should be a special ceremony that again acknowledges everything Daniel Alfredsson did for this community during his time as a Senator. And since he has the key, maybe that will help convince him to move back to the city he called home for so many years. For what it’s worth, I’m already hearing whispers that Alfie could join the Senators Front Office as early as next season.
