Toronto Maple Leafs: Babcock scratching Jason Spezza is inexcusable

In an inexcusable power move by a stubborn coach, the Toronto Maple Leafs have made Jason Spezza a healthy scratch for the club’s season-opening game.

On a day that should be a massive celebration, when the Toronto Maple Leafs open a new season at home and announce a new captain, head coach Mike Babcock has forced a dark cloud overhead of an exciting day by choosing to scratch veteran forward Jason Spezza.

Spezza signed a team-friendly deal this past summer to return to his home town of Toronto on a one-year deal worth only $700,000. He easily could have made more money elsewhere, but instead chose to join a team he believes has a chance of winning the Stanley Cup.

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Unfortunately, Babcock has made it crystal clear since the signing that he doesn’t believe Spezza can help him win a Stanley Cup. From the beginning of training camp, he has made it be known Spezza was a signing made by general manager Kyle Dubas and not a signing he supported.

Babcock hasn’t come out and said as much directly. However, his actions have left no doubt what his thoughts on Spezza truly are. From disrespectful comments made early in the preseason, to moving Spezza from center to the wing, to now finally scratching Spezza on opening night, Babcock’s actions prove he simply doesn’t believe in Spezza.

To make matters worse, the pathetic excuse given by the coach is the type of comment that’ll have him exiting Toronto sooner rather than later. Babcock has said Spezza needs to learn more about the team’s penalty kill and he’ll be in the lineup for the second game of the season. These types of nonsensical comments are what turns the Toronto media, and more importantly, fans against coaches in the Maple Leafs market.

When Ron Wilson starting making disrespectful comments during his time in Toronto, people could not wait to get him out of town and it won’t be any different for Babcock.

To pour salt on the wounds for Spezza, not only is the season opener in Toronto, it’s also against the team he formerly captained in the Ottawa Senators. He has spent 16 seasons in the NHL. The first 11 were with the Senators where he formed one of the greatest lines of the mid-2000s, centering a line with Daniel Alfredsson and Dany Heatley.

If the season opener was on the road or against a legitimate top contender, perhaps the reasoning behind Spezza’s scratch would make sense. But it’s in Toronto, Spezza’s home town, and it’s hard to find a team more committed to rebuilding than the Senators. If Babcock doesn’t think he can play against the weak fourth line from Ottawa, Babcock doesn’t think he can play, period.

Even if Babcock does think Spezza can’t play, why not show the veteran some respect and encouragement by playing him against Ottawa? Surely he would be motivated on opening night against his old team. After all, Spezza has the type of potential who could significantly assist the second power-play unit, while adding a veteran presence in the bottom-six forward grouping, and being able to move up the lineup if more offense is needed.

Playing this role, he could also potentially chip in 30-35 points this season. Instead, Spezza’s scratch becomes the type of move where Babcock could lose the room based on disrespecting a veteran.

Babcock’s stubborn decision making has completely overshadowed what should be a celebratory day. Regardless of the outcome in their first game, or who becomes the new captain, by choosing to scratch a 16-year veteran of 1065 games played, Babcock’s ego has got the better of him. For what? Nick Shore?

Bless Shore, there are no issues with Shore here who’ll take Spezza’s spot in the lineup, but neither Shore or Spezza would greatly impact the season opener. As a result, the disrespectful action such as Spezza being scratched followed by the outrage from fans and media was easily avoidable. The club should play Spezza and scratch him in the second game if needed. But not in the first game, not in Toronto, not against his former team.

Unfortunately, Babcock has a reputation for disrespecting veterans just because he can. When he was the coach of the Detroit Red Wings during the 2010-11 season, he famously scratched the greatest American player ever in Mike Modano for the last game of the regular season when Modano had 1499 games played. The game meant nothing for the Red Wings in the standings, and instead of allowing an absolute legend to earn 1,500 career games played, he benched him, simply because he could.

By benching Spezza, Babcock is doing it again simply because he can. There is no logical or acceptable reason behind it. This is just another example of Babcock proving he’s in charge and he doesn’t care about what anyone thinks, whether it be the players in his room or the general manager.