Save the Last Dance For Me

The 2009 off-season for the Ottawa Senators surrounded the drama known as Dany Heatley and his trade request. One year later, we’ve seen that Bryan Murray and co. never handled that situation very well. So when he had a season-end meeting with all-star Jason Spezza, Murray knew there was trouble brewing. And this time, he handled it like a pro.

Giggles, as we passionately call him, had a good playoff season, but not a great one as some had expected. He registered 7 points in 6 games, good for 3rd on the team. One thing that I believe got overshadowed was his help in getting Peter Regin to where he is now. Regin scored the goals, but Spezza set up all of them, including the Game One goal where it brought the Sens from the ashes and into publicity, Bonehead fans still didn’t like what he did. Those bonehead fans booed him off the ice, as the Pittsburgh Penguins won the series in six.

Jason didn’t like that, as expected from a young star. Bryan Murray tried to shop him, even going to the media and proclaiming “Spezza wouldn’t object to a trade”. Many people believed he would be traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets, but none of that happened. What lies here now is a situation of mutual trust. Can Jason Spezza forgive those fans, and continue his playing ways. Or will there be love lost, and will Bryan Murray be forced to tip his hand.

Do remember, if fans can’t forgive Jason Spezza, he will likely be traded. But they won’t realize what we are giving away for un-equal return, a first-line centre groomed to make those around him better. And we saw last season how he can score in bunches, after a leg injury. The team failed without him, and since then he went all Maurice Richard on us. Now, I know the answer to this question: Do we want an exciting, playoff-bound team, or a team destined to fail and in a rebuilding process, like the Toronto Maple Leafs? Well, I don’t think anyone would want to wish that upon us, would they?

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