Editing Jason Spezza (section)

====Ottawa Senators (2002–2014)====
[[File:Jason Spezza (25671374597).jpg|left|upright|thumb|Spezza at the 2003 [[American Hockey League|AHL]] All-Star Game. Spezza spent most of the 2002–03 season in the AHL.]]
Following Spezza's fourth OHL season in [[2001–02 OHL season|2001–02]], he was assigned to the Senators' AHL affiliate the [[Grand Rapids Griffins]] for the 2002 [[Calder Cup]] playoffs, where he made his professional debut, playing in three playoff games and scoring one goal. He made his NHL debut the next season in [[2002–03 NHL season|2002–03]] with Ottawa, playing in 33 games and recording 21 points, and scored his first NHL goal on October 29, 2002, in a 2–1 loss against the [[Philadelphia Flyers]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Flyers|date=October 30, 2002|newspaper=Doylestown Intelligencer|location= Pennsylvania, Doylestown|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-oct-30-2002-1626363/}}{{free access}}</ref> However, he played the majority of the season in the AHL with Ottawa's new affiliate, the [[Binghamton Senators]], and was called-up regularly to replace injured Ottawa players. He also competed in three [[Stanley Cup playoffs|Stanley Cup playoff]] games with Ottawa during his rookie season, helping the team in its [[2003 Stanley Cup Playoffs|2003 playoff run]] to the Eastern Conference Finals. In his playoff debut on May 21, 2003, Spezza assisted on the game-winning goal in Game 3.<ref>{{cite news|title=Answering the call|date=May 21, 2003|newspaper=Alton Telegraph|location= Illinois, Alton|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-may-21-2003-1626354/}}{{free access}}</ref> The Senators came within one game of the [[2003 Stanley Cup Finals|Stanley Cup Finals]], losing to the eventual [[Stanley Cup]] champion [[New Jersey Devils]].

Spezza played his first full NHL season with the Senators in [[2003–04 NHL season|2003–04]] and scored 22 goals and 55 points in 78 games. However, due to the subsequent [[2004–05 NHL lockout|NHL lockout]], Spezza returned to the AHL in [[2004–05 AHL season|2004–05]]. Scoring 117 points with Binghamton, he outscored [[Michael Cammalleri]] of the [[Manchester Monarchs (AHL)|Manchester Monarchs]] by eight points to capture the [[John B. Sollenberger Trophy]] as the league's leading scorer.<ref>{{cite web |title=16 teams, 4 rounds, 1 champion |url=https://theahl.com/2005/04/page/5 |website=theahl.com |access-date=April 3, 2020 |date=April 19, 2005}}</ref> Spezza was also awarded the [[Les Cunningham Award]] as league MVP.<ref>{{cite news|title=Jason Spezza AHL's MVP|date=April 16, 2005|newspaper=Medicine Hat News|location=Alberta|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-apr-16-2005-1626374/}}{{free access}}</ref>

With NHL play set to resume in [[2005–06 NHL season|2005–06]], Spezza returned to Ottawa. Having traded centres [[Radek Bonk]] and [[Todd White (ice hockey)|Todd White]] during the off-season, the Senators started Spezza on the first line between [[Dany Heatley]] and rookie [[Brandon Bochenski]], who was Spezza's linemate in Binghamton. [[Captain (ice hockey)|Captain]] [[Daniel Alfredsson]] quickly replaced Bochenski on the top line (Bochenski was soon thereafter traded) and the new trio become nicknamed the "CASH" line and "Pizza" line.<ref name="cash_herald">{{Cite news |work=Calgary Herald |date=December 5, 2005 |last=Lefebvre |first=Jean |pages=F5 |title=What's my line?: Naming Sens trio as hard as stopping 'em}}</ref> Wingers Alfredsson and Heatley both finished tied for fourth in league scoring with 103 points, while Spezza tallied 90 points despite an injury-shortened 68-game season. His 71 assists established a team single-season record and was second in the league behind [[Joe Thornton]] of the [[San Jose Sharks]] (96 assists). In the [[2006 Stanley Cup playoffs|2006 playoffs]], the Senators defeated the [[Tampa Bay Lightning]] in the first round, but fell to the [[Buffalo Sabres]] in five games. Spezza added 14 points in 10 playoff games.

During the summer of 2006, Spezza underwent successful back surgery. The following season, he continued on the same pace with Heatley and Alfredsson before suffering another injury. He managed a career-high 34 goals and finished with 87 points in 67 games. On May 19, 2007, he scored a goal and an assist as the Senators defeated the Buffalo Sabres in the Eastern Conference Final four games to one. Ottawa moved to the [[2007 Stanley Cup Finals|Stanley Cup Finals]] against the [[Anaheim Ducks]], but lost in five games in large part because the Spezza–Heatley–Alfredsson line failed to perform against [[Samuel Påhlsson]]'s checking line, backed by star defencemen [[Scott Niedermayer]] and [[Chris Pronger]]. Spezza finished the [[2007 Stanley Cup playoffs|2007 playoffs]] with a franchise-record 22 points, tied with linemates Alfredsson and Heatley.
[[File:Jason Spezza.jpg|thumb|upright|Spezza with the [[Ottawa Senators]] at the beginning of the [[2007–08 NHL season|2007–08]] season.]]
Beginning the [[2007–08 NHL season|2007–08 season]] in the final year of his contract, on November 2, 2007, Spezza signed a new seven-year, $49&nbsp;million contract with the Senators effective from the 2008–09 season through to the 2014–15 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=221972&hubname=|title=Spezza resigns with Ottawa|publisher=TSN|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071228021745/http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=221972&hubname=|archive-date=December 28, 2007|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Late that season, on February 9, 2008, Spezza scored his first NHL [[hat-trick]] during a 6–1 Senators victory over the [[Montreal Canadiens]]. Spezza contributed to all of his team's goals for a career-high six-point game.<ref>{{cite web |title=Montreal Canadiens at Ottawa Senators Box Score — February 9, 2008 |url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/boxscores/200802090OTT.html |website=Hockey Reference |access-date=17 June 2021}}</ref> He finished the season tying his career-high in goals with 34 and establishing a new personal mark for points with 92. However, the Senators failed to advance past the first round following their Stanley Cup run the previous season, falling to the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] in four games.

The [[2008–09 NHL season|2008–09 season]] was a disappointing one for both Spezza and the Senators. Though he managed to remain injury-free and played in all of his team's 82 games for the first time in his NHL career, his point production decreased. Spezza managed 73 points in 82 games, and while still respectable, the numbers were his lowest totals since his first full NHL season in [[2003–04 NHL season|2003–04]]. The team struggled all season long and would miss the playoffs for the first time since [[1995–96 NHL season|1995–96]].

Despite missing 22 games due to injury in the [[2009–10 NHL season|2009–10 season]], Spezza still managed to score 23 goals and pick-up 34 assists for 57 points in 60 games to finish second on the team in scoring. In the first round of the [[2010 Stanley Cup playoffs|2010 playoffs]], the Senators lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins four games to two. Spezza finished with one goal and six assists for seven points in the six games. He also led the team in shots on goal with 24.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/OTT/2010.html |title=2009–10 Ottawa Senators Roster and Statistics |publisher=Hockey-Reference.com |access-date=October 23, 2011}}</ref> However, Spezza's poor defensive play and costly turnovers in that series resulted in him being booed by fans at [[Scotiabank Place]], and the following off-season was rife with speculation that he would be traded.<ref>{{cite news|work=Ottawa Citizen |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/Spezza+trade+talk+could+signal+change+guard/3108841/story.html |title=Spezza trade talk could signal change of guard |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100609193157/http://www.ottawacitizen.com/spezza%2Btrade%2Btalk%2Bcould%2Bsignal%2Bchange%2Bguard/3108841/story.html |archive-date=June 9, 2010 }}</ref> Spezza himself admitted that he would not object to a trade from Ottawa.<ref>{{cite news |first=Bruce |last=Garrioch |work=Ottawa Sun |url=http://www.ottawasun.com/sports/hockey/2010/06/26/14523726.html |title=Spezza trade doubtful|date=June 26, 2010 |access-date=October 23, 2011}}</ref> Ultimately, no trade occurred.

On December 26, 2010, in a 3–1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, Spezza was checked from behind into the boards by Penguins defenceman [[Kris Letang]]. Letang received a two-minute penalty for boarding and Spezza was expected to miss four-to-six weeks due to a consequent shoulder injury.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thehockeywriters.com/jason-spezza-out-at-least-4-to-6-weeks-with-shoulder-injury/ |title=Jason Spezza Out at Least 4 to 6 Weeks with Shoulder Injury |publisher=Thehockeywriters.com |date=December 27, 2010 |access-date=October 23, 2011}}</ref>

At the end of the [[2010–11 NHL season|2010–11 season]], Spezza was named an interim alternate captain for Ottawa after the team traded away [[Mike Fisher (ice hockey)|Mike Fisher]]. In [[2011–12 NHL season|2011–12]], Spezza was named as a permanent alternate captain for the Senators. He remained injury-free and finished fourth in [[Art Ross Trophy|league scoring]], earning consideration for the [[Hart Memorial Trophy]].<ref>{{cite news | url = https://vancouversun.com/sports/Senators+Jason+Spezza+merits+Hart+Trophy+consideration/6432606/story.html | title = Senators' Jason Spezza merits Hart Trophy consideration | newspaper = [[The Vancouver Sun]] | date = 2012-04-01 | access-date = 2012-04-01 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120411153312/http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Senators+Jason+Spezza+merits+Hart+Trophy+consideration/6432606/story.html | archive-date = April 11, 2012 | df = mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url = http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/03/31/york-spezza-having-mvp-season | title = Spezza having MVP season | newspaper = [[Ottawa Sun]] | date = 2012-03-31 | access-date = 2012-03-31}}</ref> Spezza was ultimately not a finalist for the award, finishing sixth in voting.<ref>{{Cite web| url = http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/frequentflyers/Giroux-finishes-4th-for-Hart.html?viewFirst=y&&jCount=2& | title = Giroux finishes 4th for Hart | website = Philadelphia Daily News | date = 2012-05-28 | access-date = 2012-05-29}}</ref>
[[File:Jason Spezza – Rapperswil-Jona Lakers-Kloten Flyers – 22.12.2012.jpg|thumb|left|Spezza played with the [[Rapperswil-Jona Lakers]] of the Swiss [[National League A|NLA]] during the [[2012–13 NHL lockout]].]]
Spezza spent time with [[Rapperswil-Jona Lakers]] of the Swiss [[National League (ice hockey)|National League A]] during the [[2012–13 NHL lockout]] and returned to the Senators once a resolution had been negotiated. He registered two goals and three assists in five games before a back injury sidelined him. The Senators announced on January 31, 2013, that Spezza would be out of the Ottawa line-up for a minimum of two months (and possibly longer) as he required surgery for a herniated disc in his back. The injury occurred in a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on January 27.<ref>{{cite web | title = Sens' Spezza to have back surgery, out minimum two months | url = https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=414888 | publisher = [[The Sports Network]] | date = 2013-01-31 | access-date = 2013-01-31 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140416174456/http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=414888 | archive-date = April 16, 2014 | url-status = dead | df = mdy-all }}</ref> Spezza ultimately missed the remainder of the regular season and the first round of the [[2013 Stanley Cup playoffs|2013 playoffs]]. He returned to action on May 19, 2013, for the third game of Ottawa's [[2013 Stanley Cup playoffs#Eastern Conference Semifinals|Eastern Conference Semi-final]] series against Pittsburgh.<ref>{{cite web | title = Spezza back as Senators set to take on Penguins in game 3 | url = https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=423539 | publisher = [[The Sports Network]] | date = 2013-05-19 | access-date = 2013-05-20 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140416191917/http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=423539 | archive-date = April 16, 2014 | url-status = dead | df = mdy-all }}</ref>

On September 14, 2013, Spezza was named the eighth captain in Senators' franchise history, replacing long-time teammate Daniel Alfredsson, who joined the [[Detroit Red Wings]] as a free agent on July 5, 2013.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jason Spezza named captain of Ottawa Senators |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/jason-spezza-named-captain-of-ottawa-senators/c-682548 |website=nhl.com |access-date=April 3, 2020}}</ref>

After the conclusion of his first season as the Senators captain in [[2013–14 NHL season|2013–14]], it was revealed by Senators general manager [[Bryan Murray (ice hockey)|Bryan Murray]] that Spezza had requested a trade from the Senators.<ref>{{cite news| url = https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/puck-daddy/jason-spezza-requests-trade-from-ottawa-senators-211808948.html | title = Jason Spezza requests trade from Ottawa Senators | work = [[Yahoo! Sports]] | date = 2014-06-11 | access-date = 2014-06-11}}</ref> At the [[2014 NHL Entry Draft]], a potential trade to the [[Nashville Predators]] was negotiated by Murray but rejected by Spezza as the Predators were one of the teams listed in his limited contractual no-trade clause.<ref>{{cite news| url = https://ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/nhl/senators-extra/calling-spezza-nashville-wants-a-first-line-centre | title = Spezza says no to Nashville | newspaper = [[Ottawa Citizen]] | date = 2014-07-28 | access-date = 2014-07-28}}</ref>