Jason Spezza has long been considered a cornerstone of the Ottawa Senators franchise, ever since he was drafted No. 2 overall in 2001.
In his seven seasons spent in Ottawa, Spezza has produced at a reasonably high level, hitting the 85 point plateau three times.
However, playoff success has eluded Spezza, especially in recent years.
Since marching to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2007 (only to be beaten handily in five games by Anaheim), Spezza slowly has fallen out of favor with his hometown fans.
In this Spring's six game loss to the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins, Spezza posted seven points, but was booed ruthlessly at home.
Spezza is vocally upset by the criticism, to the point at which General Manager Bryan Murray requested they meet to ease the tension. The situation hasn't reached this point yet, but this is beginning to sound eerily similar to the Dany Heatley fiasco of last year.
Spezza had a fantastic second half of the season, helping Ottawa secure a trip back to the playoffs, but was again physically overpowered and intimidated by the 'Pens defense in the clutch.
So ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Ryan Davenport
Jason Spezza Dilemma: What Should Ottawa Senators Do With Him?
June 4th, 2010 by Ryan Davenport Leave a reply »
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