Dallas Stars Seeing Excessive Production From Jason Spezza

On July 1st, 2014, Jason Spezza received a long-awaited call telling him that his everyday life would be seeing a major transition. After much speculation in the prior two months, it was officially announced that Spezza had been traded to the Dallas Stars.

Spezza, 32, came in as the main second act to Stars GM Jim Nill‘s three-part performance that could end up having more acts, though it has yet to be decided.

But in Nill’s second offseason as general manager of the Dallas Stars franchise, he made another blockbuster acquisition when he picked Spezza up.

After being drafted by Ottawa in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, Jason Spezza had spent his entire career in a Senators uniform. With Ottawa in a presupposed rebuild stage, Spezza wanted the chance to compete for a Stanley Cup and therefore requested to be traded. He was going into the final year of his contract and felt it was time to move on. After declining a few different offers, he accepted the deal with Dallas.

The Stars needed a capable and veteran second-line center to fill the only true void they had on offense, and Spezza fit the bill.

Though Spezza ended with decent numbers, his play over the first half of the year left many Stars fans anxiously waiting his explosion.

“I think I was just more comfortable in the second half,” Spezza said on exit interview day after the 2014-2015 season ended early for Dallas. “I played better and understood where I was on the team. You get to know the coach and you get to know the system. I think early on in the year there’s a lot of trying to figure out guys and figure out who you’re playing with.”

Spezza ended the 2014-2015 season with 62 points (17 goals, 45 assists). He also walked away with a new contract worth $30 million that locked him in Dallas for the next four seasons. This stumped a few Stars fans, considering the contract would give Spezza the highest AAV among any other player on the team.

But so far through the early-goings of this season, Jason Spezza has all but silenced those critics. With seven points through his first five games (four goals, three assists), including a hat trick against the Edmonton Oilers, he is on pace to do some damage this year. His assists have been crafty and his goals have been well-timed, to say the least.

Not only that, but Spezza is also racking it up in the face-off dot. Throughout the ’15-’16 season so far, he has won 63.4% of his face-offs. He is doing all of this in just around a minute less of ice time than he was granted last year.

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Spezza’s seven points puts him in sole possession of third place among Dallas Stars players in the points category. The only players currently above him are first line forwards Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin, who had three and four point nights respectively on Thursday night. Both players currently sit at eight points.

With the high-octane offense the Dallas Stars already possess, Spezza performing above his standard is only fueling the scoring fire. This fire is composed of a near perfect balance of youthful energy and veteran experience, and Spezza is leading the veterans so far.

“I’ve felt good this year,” Spezza said. “I missed training camp and it took me maybe a game or two to get going, but I’ve got my legs behind me and I’m just trying to keep it going.”

Spezza has seen some different combinations on his wings this year, but instead of stumbling he has quickly and effectively incorporated his new players into the second-line charade.

It’s going to be interesting to see if the Stars continue to switch up Spezza’s partners. With Ruff’s consistency at juggling forward lines, it could happen. But if he continues to perform at the level he currently sits at, the Stars will have consistent threats on not one, but two lines. It will be exciting to see what the rest of the sophomore season in Dallas holds for Jason Spezza.

One thing is for sure: his slow starting days are over.

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