http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/players/jason_spezza/5430 Recent articles about Jason Spezza en-us Make sure to follow Travis on Twitter! -- A pair of road losses in Pittsburgh have washed away Ottawa's margin for error. To get back in the series, Ottawa will have to defend home ice against a Penguins team that's firing on all cylinders. The team's hoping that the return of a familiar face from injury can aid them in their uphill climb: centerman Jason Spezza, out of commission since Janu... Sun, 19 May 2013 12:59:40 -0400 http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=51655 http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=51655 Travis Yost: ECSF GAME 3: Jason Spezza Returns http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/travis_yost_ecsf_game_3_jason_spezza_returns/13649698 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png It has just been confirmed that the Sens will be getting back Jason Spezza for tomorrow's game. more to come.. Sun, 19 May 2013 12:22:10 -0400 http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=51652 http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=51652 Eklund: Spezza Returning to Lineup Tomorrow. http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/eklund_spezza_returning_to_lineup_tomorrow/13649533 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Pens look to take three-game lead in series with Sens on Sunday night Center Jason Spezza is expected to play in Game 3 for the Sens on Sunday night. Spezza will see action on Ottawa’s power play. The Penguins have held Ottawa to one power-play goal in seven opportunities. Spezza has enjoyed good success against Pittsburgh throughout his career, but hasn’t played since Jan. 27, wh... Sun, 19 May 2013 09:51:55 -0400 http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=51648 http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=51648 John Toperzer: Game Night: Will return of Jason Spezza make a difference? http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/john_toperzer_game_night_will_return_of_jason_spezza_make_a_difference/13648924 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png This is a pretty huge deal for the Ottawa Senators. Jason Spezza will be back for game three. From the Montreal Gazette: It might be a lot to ask, but the Ottawa Senators are hopeful Jason Spezza will be just what they need to get back into their playoff series with Pittsburgh. Spezza, who hasn't played since January 27 after undergoing back surgery for a herniated disc, will draw into Ottawa's lineup Sunday for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series that the Penguins lead 2-0. "I'm excited to have a chance to play again," said Spezza. "I feel ready to play." The 29-year-old will immediately add depth to a struggling offence and power play. Spezza could drastically improve the Senators' fortunes. Sat, 18 May 2013 19:25:58 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/jason_spezza_will_be_back_for_game_three/13646848 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/jason_spezza_will_be_back_for_game_three/13646848 Jason Spezza will be back for Game Three http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/jason_spezza_will_be_back_for_game_three/13646848 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/a/2/a2663a56868596d5331876a6f24fa41e467b6167/mini/5972570.jpg Jason Spezza doesn't have much time to return to form if the Ottawa Senators want to extend their season. The star forward hasn't played since Jan. 27 after undergoing back surgery for a herniated disk. He'll rejoin Ottawa's lineup Sunday for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series with the Senators trailing 2-0 to the Pittsburgh Penguins. ''I'm excited to have a chance to play again,'' Spezza said. ''I feel ready to play.'' He will immediately add depth to a struggling offense and power play. ''We're excited about the skill that he brings back to our team and we're looking forward to it,'' said Senators coach Paul MacLean. ''We certainly feel that he's going to give us some help on the power play, for sure. He can help us quite a bit there.'' The Senators' power play has gone 1 for 7 through the first two games. Spezza's minutes will be monitored, and MacLean suggested his time on the ice c Sat, 18 May 2013 18:08:12 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/spezza_to_return_to_senators_lineup_for_game_3/13646590 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/spezza_to_return_to_senators_lineup_for_game_3/13646590 Spezza to return to Senators lineup for Game 3 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/spezza_to_return_to_senators_lineup_for_game_3/13646590 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/1/7/17e8195058b22e5b2f46a905a676c3e582b50c1c/mini/5949520.jpg Jason Spezza doesn't have much time to return to form if the Ottawa Senators want to extend their season. The star forward hasn't played since Jan. 27 after undergoing back surgery for a herniated disk. He'll rejoin Ottawa's lineup Sunday for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series with the Senators trailing 2-0 to the Pittsburgh Penguins. ''I'm excited to have a chance to play again,'' Spezza said. ''I feel ready to play.'' He will immediately add depth to a struggling offense and power play. ''We're excited about the skill that he brings back to our team and we're looking forward to it,'' said Senators coach Paul MacLean. ''We certainly feel that he's going to give us some help on the power play, for sure. He can help us quite a bit there.'' The Senators' power play has gone 1 for 7 through the first two games. Spezza's minutes will be monitored, and MacLean suggested his time on the ice c Sat, 18 May 2013 18:08:12 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/penguins_senators_preview/13646584 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/penguins_senators_preview/13646584 Penguins-Senators Preview http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/penguins_senators_preview/13646584 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/1/7/17b8550cf34924bba034604c9fac0556e19e18b4/mini/Ottawa_Senators_v_9a42.jpg Five games. That’s all that Jason Spezza played this year before having back surgery on January 27 that forced him to miss the rest of the regular season. The Ottawa Senators find themselves down two games to none in their best of seven series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Convenient time for Spezza to be healthy… Sat, 18 May 2013 15:32:38 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/desperate_times_in_ottawa/13645885 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/desperate_times_in_ottawa/13645885 Desperate Times in Ottawa http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/desperate_times_in_ottawa/13645885 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/c/b/cbb87e14a65652a5cbab92667c9c951205e0a608/mini/Ottawa_Senators_v_20d6.jpg Coach MacLean confirms Jason Spezza will be in the lineup tomorrow — Ottawa Senators (@NHL_Sens) May 18, 2013 Needing to win 4 of their next 5 games against the Penguins, the Sens need all the help they can get, and the return of their star centerman is exactly what they need. Spezza should provide a big boost to the league's worst offense and 20th ranked power-play who, despite having the 4th highest 5-on-4 shot rate in the league, has often looked underwhelming.  After getting off to a hot start on the second line, Kyle Turris was forced into the first line center role after Spezza got injured, and has looked somewhat out of place. While he'll probably be bumped down to the second line to play with worse linemates and won't get as much PP time, Turris should benefit from not having to face team's top players as often. This year Turris' most faced opponents were Dion Phaneuf, Zdeno Chara, David Krejci, and Milan Lucic. Last year with Spezza ... Sat, 18 May 2013 15:31:32 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/jason_spezza_returns/13646212 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/jason_spezza_returns/13646212 Jason Spezza Returns http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/jason_spezza_returns/13646212 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/b/b/bb756dea627c31dda738bf3ddeae46285557a738/mini/Ottawa_Senators_v_658c.jpg from Bruce Garrioch of Off The Posts, A source told the Sun Spezza is targeting a Sunday return, but has to get clearance from the doctors. “He continues to skate on a daily basis and makes progress,” said MacLean Friday. “We’ll go through practice (Saturday) and the pre-game skate and we’ll see where it is. If he’s available to us, it’s Jason Spezza, we’re going to have him in the lineup.” The Senators will have an optional skate Saturday and Spezza will skate with that group. “I know I’m going to be there to watch it,” said MacLean. “I might not be on the ice, but we’ll make a decision from there. I don’t know about all the medical hurdles but I’ll know more about that (Saturday).” more Fri, 17 May 2013 14:54:07 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/spezza_could_play_on_sunday/13640251 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/spezza_could_play_on_sunday/13640251 Spezza Could Play On Sunday http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/spezza_could_play_on_sunday/13640251 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/7/e/7ef3b9dc9d66cdc49e3d574b204740d5b499c3c2/mini/GettyImage.ashx_url_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f93137983.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d77BFBA49EF878921CC759DF4EBAC47D0D8E22D548B3977EE3C9DE9727B2A4B4C729D68A463D1803C.jpg Fresh off their first-round elimination of the Montreal Canadiens, the Ottawa Senators had a familiar face back on the ice on Sunday. No. 1 center Jason Spezza practiced with his teammates for the first time since undergoing back surgery for a herniated disk on Feb. 1 and says it was nice to take another step in his recovery. ''It's been a long process and a long season for me,'' Spezza said. ''It felt good to join the team again and get some reps in. It may not seem like it and I may not play this year, but for me it's a small victory.'' Despite speculation that Spezza could be done for the season, the fact the 29-year-old took part in a full practice was encouraging for the Senators, who will face the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round of the playoffs. Spezza, who had been skating on his own before joining Ottawa's AHL callups for more training, says he had some ''ups and downs'' over the course of his recovery but made improvements over t Sun, 12 May 2013 20:04:59 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/spezza_practices_with_senators/13602713 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/spezza_practices_with_senators/13602713 Spezza practices with Senators http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/spezza_practices_with_senators/13602713 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/c/b/cbb87e14a65652a5cbab92667c9c951205e0a608/mini/Ottawa_Senators_v_20d6.jpg There's never been a set timeline for the return of Ottawa Senators star center Jason Spezza after his back surgery in January, but it appears that the club could be getting him back for their Round 2 matchup (against a to-be-determined foe).  According to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, Sens GM Bryan Murray has confirmed that Spezza is practicing with a group called the "Black Aces" -- the nickname for the players not in the starting lineup.  "He's skating much harder, competing much better and feeling much stronger," Murray indicated during an appearance on The Team 1200 on Friday. "Skating with the Black Aces is a more serious involvement for him. He's got to practice a few times with the team before [coach] Paul [MacLean] thinks about making a change, but there's light at the end of the tunnel."  Having Spezza back in the mix would certainly alter the outlook of their next matchup. Stay tuned.ESPN Insider  Fri, 10 May 2013 14:57:52 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/report_spezza_back_for_round_2/13591592 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/report_spezza_back_for_round_2/13591592 Report: Spezza back for Round 2? http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/report_spezza_back_for_round_2/13591592 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/c/b/cbb87e14a65652a5cbab92667c9c951205e0a608/mini/Ottawa_Senators_v_20d6.jpg Make sure to follow Travis on Twitter! -- The Ottawa Senators earned themselves a day off after a five-goal, series-clinching victory in Montreal on Thursday night. But, that didn't stop Ottawa GM Bryan Murray from creating quite the buzz on the Team 1200 late Friday morning. Jason Spezza, out of commission since late-January, has finally returned to competitive skating. He's joined the B... Fri, 10 May 2013 12:05:41 -0400 http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=51485 http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=51485 Travis Yost: Jason Spezza's Coming Through Those Doors http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/travis_yost_jason_spezzas_coming_through_those_doors/13590392 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/1/7/17b8550cf34924bba034604c9fac0556e19e18b4/mini/Ottawa_Senators_v_9a42.jpg from Ian Mendes of Sportsnet, Ottawa Senators’ players have been making miraculous recoveries from injuries lately, but it doesn’t sound like Jason Spezza will join that list — at least any time soon. The star centre, who has been sidelined since undergoing back surgery on February 1, isn’t expected to return for the start of the playoffs next week. “I think he’s been skating, but he’s at the public skating stage still. It’s significant because he’s started skating, but it’s public skating really,” said Paul MacLean on Friday, giving his most detailed update on Spezza this month. “He’s not even close to joining the team I think.” continued Fri, 26 Apr 2013 19:21:47 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/spezza_not_close_to_a_return/13493893 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/spezza_not_close_to_a_return/13493893 Spezza Not Close To A Return http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/spezza_not_close_to_a_return/13493893 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/1/7/17e8195058b22e5b2f46a905a676c3e582b50c1c/mini/5949520.jpg Ottawa Senators center Jason Spezza said having back surgery for a herniated disk was the only way he was going to feel better. ''It was really bad,'' he said. ''It got to the point where there was no way I was going to be able to play, so it makes it frustrating. ''But there wasn't really an option once we got down to it.'' The 29-year-old says that once the pain started he struggled to find any relief, and things finally culminated in a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Jan. 27. ''I started to feel it a little bit toward the end of training camp and the start of the season and then it got out of control probably after the second game of the season,'' Spezza said. ''It got worse and worse and halfway through the Pittsburgh game I lost strength in my leg and got real bad numbness and halfway through the game I pretty much knew I'd have to see someone.'' For Spezza, who says he felt almost instant relief following the s Fri, 08 Feb 2013 21:14:03 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/senators_spezza_back_surgery_was_only_option/12875320 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/senators_spezza_back_surgery_was_only_option/12875320 Senators' Spezza: back surgery was only option http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/senators_spezza_back_surgery_was_only_option/12875320 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/c/c/cc15650fedfc48448c8fbca3409508209d6cefab/mini/Montreal_Canadiens_v_1ca2.jpg