Jason Spezza was my favorite Toronto Maple Leafs’ player. From my perspective, he was a class act and a team player of the highest quality. He was a leader both on and off the ice. When he announced his retirement, I was both happy and sad.
I was happy to see that he would be continuing with the Maple Leafs, but I will be sad not to see him play another season. I wanted him to get 1000 points.
Fortunately, his time with the Maple Leafs is not done. Although I have a sense that his job will be defined as we sometimes say when doing research as “laying the path while walking,” I have a feeling he’ll continue to do great work as he joins management in a job that will be defined and invented like a two-on-one breakaway.
What Were Spezza’s Legacies on the Ice?
So, while I’m unsure what Spezza’s contributions will be in the future, I’m confident he’ll have many. I’m more certain what legacy he’s already left on the ice. And that legacy has more to do than scoring.
That said, he could still score. During the 2021-22 season, he scored 12 goals and added 13 assists (for 25 points) – all playing on the fourth line with some added time on the team’s second power-play unit.
Spezza’s Off-Ice Legacies Include Values I Appreciate
What I liked so much about Spezza is that he embodied the values my father imparted to his own family. They were blue-collar values because, at his heart, my dad was deeply blue-collar. He believed in family, hard work, and in putting the needs of others ahead of your own needs.
There was a gentleness and an unassuming nature to Spezza, although he probably has good reason for a bit of puffery. He’s sure to be voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame one day soon. In all, he played 1248 NHL games, scoring 363 goals and adding 632 assists (just five points shy of 1000, at 995 for his career). That’s a lot.
But in my watching him, he never elbowed another player out of space he deserved or needed just to further his own needs or ego. He was willing to work hard and didn’t expect things to be given to him.
Spezza Deserves (and Will Get) Great Karma
Spezza had good karma that way. The bread he cast on the water will surely come back to him. He’s that kind of person. He seems to consider how the organization he works for should be perceived by the public, and he behaves in ways that would honor it.
Spezza’s three-year stint with the Maple Leafs led to his being valued by the organization to the extent that he’s earned a job in management – I would guess and hope somewhere in player development. That would be a fit given what I’ve seen and witnessed as he’s worked with young players.
Upon Spezza’s retirement, he noted that “Hockey has been my life’s work and to be able to come home to Toronto and bookend my playing career where it started was incredible. To the fans – in Ottawa, Dallas, Toronto, and across the league – your impact on the game is immeasurable. I’ll never be able to replicate that feeling of stepping onto the ice to the roar of the crowd, but it is something I’ll always remember. Thank you.”
He added, “Looking forward, I’m very grateful to the Leafs for the amazing opportunity to transition into this new role. It enables me to continue to follow my passion; learn and live new experiences within the game I love.
“Lastly, none of this happens without the unwavering support of my parents, siblings, wife, and kids. You have always been my cornerstone.”
For Spezza, It Was Always the Same Core Values
Spezza always believed he should work hard, and he did. By doing so, he earned the respect of his peers and the hockey community. Sadly, he’ll never hold the Stanley Cup as a player. But his attentiveness to the hard work needed to get there is legendary.
When he retired, Maple Leafs’ general manager Kyle Dubas noted:
“It is difficult to describe just how much of a lasting and positive impact that Jason made in his three seasons with the Leafs. Jason’s passion for the game of hockey, his desire to continuously push himself and his teammates to improve, as well as his capacity to make strong connections with all members of the organization, have been invaluable.”
The Maple Leafs can/will benefit from that passion and desire.
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