The Toronto Maple Leafs have added to their center depth, inking Jason Spezza to a one-year, $700,000 contract, the team announced Monday.
Spezza, 36, registered eight goals, 27 points and a minus-13 rating in 76 games with the Stars last season. His most impressive stat was his 58.2 faceoff percentage, as he finished among the top centermen in the Western Conference.
While he's seen a decline in his offense, as he hasn't managed over 10 goals or 30 points in a season since 2016-17, he's been able to make up for it by serving as a utility forward and playing a strong 200-foot game.
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Jason Spezza on the pending influx of ticket requests in hockey-mad Toronto now that he's dressing for the hometown #Leafs: "Well, I’m playing for the love of the game this year, that’s for sure."
— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) July 1, 2019
With Spezza, the Maple Leafs added more center depth, specifically to the bottom-6 — which currently consists of William Nylander and Frederik Gauthier down the middle.
The 6-3, 215 pounds forward will likely slot in on the fourth line and be called upon to win key draws and served as a utility player on special teams and at even strength. A veteran of 16 seasons, he'll be a strong presence for the younger players in Toronto's core, especially following the trade of Patrick Marleau in June.