Jason Spezza not going to camp

[YNWA14]

'Never shown the ability to be even close to doing that'

In 05/06 he was on pace for 108 points which would have had him third in league scoring behind only Crosby and Jagr.

In 06/07 he was on pace for 106 points which would have been good for 4th in the league behind Crosby, Thornton and Lecavalier.

In 07/08 he was on pace for 99 points, good for 3rd in the league behind only Ovechkin and Malkin.

In 11/12 he put up 84 points (on pace for 86) was 4th in the league and that was playing with Michalek and Greening.

It's really not that much of a stretch if Crosby gets injured and Spezza is healthy all season if you replace Greening with Ryan.

 

[Tuna99]

If this was a scoring tournament he would be there, but they have to kill penalties and win faceoffs. To be fair, Spezza is probably isn't as good as in a short tournament as these starting 4 Centers:

Crosby
Toewes
Bergeron
E. Staal

 

[WhiteLight*]

'Never shown the ability to be even close to doing that'

In 05/06 he was on pace for 108 points which would have had him third in league scoring behind only Crosby and Jagr.

In 06/07 he was on pace for 106 points which would have been good for 4th in the league behind Crosby, Thornton and Lecavalier.

In 07/08 he was on pace for 99 points, good for 3rd in the league behind only Ovechkin and Malkin.

In 11/12 he put up 84 points (on pace for 86) was 4th in the league and that was playing with Michalek and Greening.

It's really not that much of a stretch if Crosby gets injured and Spezza is healthy all season if you replace Greening with Ryan.

2005-06: 17 points behind
2006-07: 14 points behind
2007-08: 14 points behind
2011-12: 25 points behind


He never even came close, and that's assuming he plays 82 games. Spezza playing 82 games is an absolutely unrealistic expectation in it's own right.

From 2005-08, he sacrificed defense for offense, which as you know Cujomi he no longer does

 

[NyQuil]

Sadly, "on pace" has become the definitive statement regarding Spezza's production in the NHL.

For him to win an Art Ross, he'll have to click with a resurgent Ryan, own the PP with a 100% healthy Karlsson, not get injured, and hope that a few of the other front-runners do.

 

[YNWA14]

2005-06: 17 points behind
2006-07: 14 points behind
2007-08: 14 points behind
2011-12: 25 points behind

He never even came close, and that's assuming he plays 82 games. Spezza playing 82 games is an absolutely unrealistic expectation in it's own right.

So let me get this right if I can. 82 - 65 is 17. That's only a 'tad' but 14, 14, and 17 are 'not even close'? Which one is it because that confuses me.

Anyway, do you think that in 2011-12 if Spezza was playing with any combination of Neal/Kunitz, St. Louis/Purcell or Hartnell/Jagr that he would have been 25 points back?

It was mostly a joke post anyway, but to say that Spezza has never shown the ability to be 'even close' is silly. He's always been a premier offensive player in the league.

 

[WhiteLight*]

Sadly, "on pace" has become the definitive statement regarding Spezza's production in the NHL.

For him to win an Art Ross, he'll have to click with a resurgent Ryan, own the PP with a 100% healthy Karlsson, not get injured, and hope that a few of the other front-runners do.

... and play better than we've ever seen him play before

 

[WhiteLight*]

So let me get this right if I can. 82 - 65 is 17. That's only a 'tad' but 14, 14, and 17 are 'not even close'? Which one is it because that confuses me.

Anyway, do you think that in 2011-12 if Spezza was playing with any combination of Neal/Kunitz, St. Louis/Purcell or Hartnell/Jagr that he would have been 25 points back?

It was mostly a joke post anyway, but to say that Spezza has never shown the ability to be 'even close' is silly. He's always been a premier offensive player in the league.

Put Spezza on Tampa instead of Stamkos, Philly instead of Giroux, etc and he probably produces about the same that year.

There are a lot of ''premier'' offensive players in the league, it doesn't mean they'll be winning the Art Ross any time soon

 

[TheSenator]

Methot made the Olympic camp but Spezz didn't?!

Seriously though how can you not have Spezza ranked above the likes of Jeff Carter, Logan Couture, Mike Richards and Matt Duchene? He's one of only eight PPG players in the NHL since the lock-out. I knew he was a long-shot to make the team, but to not even make the camp is a slap in the face! Stevie Y must have it out for the guy.

 

[WhiteLight*]

Methot made the Olympic camp but Spezz didn't?!

Seriously though how can you not have Spezza ranked above the likes of Jeff Carter, Logan Couture, Mike Richards and Matt Duchene? He's one of only eight PPG players in the NHL since the lock-out. I knew he was a long-shot to make the team, but to not even make the camp is a slap in the face. Stevie Y must have it out for the guy.

IMO, all 4 of those guys are auditioning for wing positions. Spezza can't play the wing.

 

[Liliaceae]

Can someone please change the stupid thread title.

 

[otown]

Lets be honest. Spezza is good but apparently not good enough according to the best hockey minds in the country. He has been overlooked by Team Canada before.
Why is that? Great offensive ability but a liability on the back check and has a tendency to give the puck away. He has improved from his early days but Team Canada will not take the chance with so many two way centres available.
The only good thing to come out of this is that he will be super motivated this year to prove his doubters wrong.

 

[armani]

Ken Hitchcock was on the Drive (Team 1200) on Monday and mentioned how deep Canada is on centre and they are looking for players who are versatile (play other positions besides C). This is where the Staals and Bergeron of the world become more valueable in a short tournament like this, despite Spezza being a superior talent. Spezza is competing with guys like Crosby in the top-6 and that’s where the decision to exclude him comes.

It’s the same thing when soccer giants assemble World Cup teams - Brazil always leaves a Ronaldinho behind because someone better is ahead of him in the depth chart for that particular role.

 

[TheSenator]

Can someone please change the stupid thread title.

I second that. OLYMPIC camp people... Come on.

 

[Karl Cowensson]

With out a doubt Spezza's a top 10 #1 center in the league, and you could argue top 5 when he's healthy. Unfortunately most of the best centers in the league are Canadian and he isn't top 2 in offense or top 2 as a shutdown and can't play the wing.

 

[aragorn]

Methot made the Olympic camp but Spezz didn't?!

Seriously though how can you not have Spezza ranked above the likes of Jeff Carter, Logan Couture, Mike Richards and Matt Duchene? He's one of only eight PPG players in the NHL since the lock-out. I knew he was a long-shot to make the team, but to not even make the camp is a slap in the face! Stevie Y must have it out for the guy.

Methot is a left shot & as I understand it most of the best Canadian defencemen in camp are right shots which may give him just a little bit of an edge to make it on to a 3rd pairing. Weber, Doughty, Seabrooke, Boyle & Subban are all right shots although they could go with two right shots.

I wonder if the fact that Spezza has not won a lot of championships in his hockey career play into their decision making? Toews is a known winner, Richards is a known winner, Getzlaf was won, Crosby has won etc.... just wondering?

 

[SenzZen]

Methot is a left shot & as I understand it most of the best Canadian defencemen in camp are right shots which may give him just a little bit of an edge to make it on to a 3rd pairing. Weber, Doughty, Seabrooke, Boyle & Subban are all right shots although they could go with two right shots.

I wonder if the fact that Spezza has not won a lot of championships in his hockey career play into their decision making? Toews is a known winner, Richards is a known winner, Getzlaf was won, Crosby has won etc.... just wondering?

Just wanted to add Pietrangelo to the mix.

It will be interesting to see if they move someone over.

Also I find it annoying that I started a "Congratulations Methot" thread in response to all the "Poor Spezza" threads, and it was promptly merged- yet this ones persists.