Toronto Maple Leafs Re-sign Veteran Jason Spezza

The Toronto Maple Leafs are bringing back Jason Spezza for another year in the Great White North.

As reported on at NHL.com, the Toronto Maple Leafs have re-signed center Jason Spezza to a one year deal valued at $700,000. Last season Jason had 25 points, (9 goals and 16 assists) with the the Leafs and a +/- of -3, if you’re into the stat.

Spezza was a former #2 overall draft pick in 2001, after spending some time in Grand Rapids and Belleville (the Bulls), he was called up to Ottawa for a cup of coffee (7 games.)

After some back and forth with Binghamton and Ottawa he would spend the next decade with the Sens before heading to Dallas Stars for 5 seasons, and now is with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
He also spent a season in the Swiss-A league during the 2012 lockout and is a 2 time All Star with the Ottawa Senators.

Spezza contract is a very team friendly deal at league minimum ($700K), especially in a flat cap year, he will add vet presence on a team that is still young-ish, as their average age is 26.

However, this would be bad news for some other forwards looking to stay with the blue shirts.  Kyle Clifford might stay at the same value, but Frederik Gauthier, who came up through the Toronto Marlies, might be heading elsewhere. The same goes for Evan Rodrigues, which was part of the Kasperi Kapanen trade.

Overall I think this is a good move by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Spezza could be a bottom 6 forward with some 10 and 20 potential (10 goals and 20 assists) and should be a presence on the power play for the Leafs. I believe he has some offensive production vale even at 37, and will be solid depth piece for the Maple Leafs next year.

This is one of many RFA and UFAs for the Maple Leafs, they still have some free agents in Tyson Barrie, Cody Ceci and Travis Dermott to work on, and as I named above on the forward lines. But for now, welcome back Jason Spezza!