Travis Yost: On Jason Spezza and Player Obligations

Fist.

Literally, fist that guy.

I was wondering the same thing regarding the leak of this failed trade. Not only does it make Brian Murray look stupid for negotiating a deal with a team on Spezza's no trade list but also lets other teams know that BM has his hands tied and will probably end up with either a lesser package or a disgruntled player. This is the Heatley fiasco all over again.

Good blog. A few fans (some already have) will make Spezza the scapegoat again in this cluster(frank). He's doing nothing wrong. The Sens management are the ones struggling to stay afloat with the hand dealt to them.

Great blog Travis! The only reason Brian Murray leaking that info was to make Spezza look like the bad guy to uninformed fans and thereby win public support. It was a bush league move by Murray who is usually above-board with his dealings with players.

I certainly don't blame Spezza for not going, it's his right to choose 10 teams he won't accept a trade too. That being said I am still surprised he nixed an actual deal on the table, still leaving the possibility he'll have to come back to Ottawa for an extremely awkward year then hitting UFA. Ottawa may be a decent team next year, they may grab one of those wildcard spots but the organization is a circus, and he knows that. He wants to win, not play for the cost-per-pointators.

Why not go to a place like Nashville, get out of the spotlight, then hit UFA anyway. Surely a year in Nashville would be better than another year as Ottawa's whipping boy. That's only going to get worse now for him.

I still really like Spezza as a player, all that being said.

I certainly don't blame Spezza for not going, it's his right to choose 10 teams he won't accept a trade too. That being said I am still surprised he nixed an actual deal on the table, still leaving the possibility he'll have to come back to Ottawa for an extremely awkward year then hitting UFA. Ottawa may be a decent team next year, they may grab one of those wildcard spots but the organization is a circus, and he knows that. He wants to win, not play for the cost-per-pointators.

Why not go to a place like Nashville, get out of the spotlight, then hit UFA anyway. Surely a year in Nashville would be better than another year as Ottawa's whipping boy. That's only going to get worse now for him.

I still really like Spezza as a player, all that being said.
- Talkshowhost

I don't think you're wrong to wonder why he is adverse to Nashville. I do too. The one thing I can think of (I mean, I know nothing about the guy personally) is that he really wants to play for a team that's going to contend, and must think Nashville is too far away. Maybe.

Start negotiations with the Leafs. Find a deal that's doable and present the Nashville and Toronto options to Spezza. If it's true that Spezza gambled and left Toronto off his list thinking he wouldn't be dealt there, then his bluff will be called and Nashville all of a sudden may become more attractive.

There is a precedence of these two teams trading before. Personally, I don't care if he was traded to T.O.. I only care about the future of the Sens. I don't think Spezza turns the Leafs into a cup contender anyway.

Start negotiations with the Leafs. Find a deal that's doable and present the Nashville and Toronto options to Spezza. If it's true that Spezza gambled and left Toronto off his list thinking he wouldn't be dealt there, then his bluff will be called and Nashville all of a sudden may become more attractive.

There is a precedence of these two teams trading before. Personally, I don't care if he was traded to T.O.. I only care about the future of the Sens. I don't think Spezza turns the Leafs into a cup contender anyway.
- hemlock34

For the longest time I have thought Ottawa/Toronto deal made sense.

Ottawa won't do it for whatever reason.

Well thought out Travis.

One issue, Curran knew Murray was negotiating with teams from the list. He told the team they would consider(and still are) teams from his list. Spezza is holding out for his preferred destination (STL). Stastny will be the final domino. Once that is decided Spezza will re-evaluate his situation. He can submit a new list this July of ten teams, same or new.

They haven't closed the door on the Preds yet.

'If he (Heatley) doesn't want to be here, he has to let us make a move' - Jason Spezza (July 2, 2009)

This is why the man is not a good leader. He says this about heatley Yet is doing the exact same thing.

Spezza needs to file a new list of no trade teams this Tuesday. We will see if the two teams remain excluded.

Teams will know soon enough what was in the Nashville offer. It becomes a bench mark for what works. Not hard for a team on the list to make up a comparable offer.

This is just business on both sides and better progress than expected. Nashville is a pretty attractive destination. Spezza has to start worrying he ends up at a less attractive location that are not on the list.

Great blog Travis! The only reason Brian Murray leaking that info was to make Spezza look like the bad guy to uninformed fans and thereby win public support. It was a bush league move by Murray who is usually above-board with his dealings with players.
- duxcup07

He didn't leak anything, if you watch the interview he was just answering the questions honestly. Poile the same.

Unfortunately if you go by what Twitter reports it twists the context as always.

Great blog Travis! The only reason Brian Murray leaking that info was to make Spezza look like the bad guy to uninformed fans and thereby win public support. It was a bush league move by Murray who is usually above-board with his dealings with players.
- duxcup07

Murray can't afford to give away another asset cheaply.

What this team has lost over the last number of years is staggering.

Chara walked - got nothing (even if our GM chose Redden)
Heatley left and we got far less than market value
Alfie walked - got nothing

So, Murray has to squeeze every ounce of value out of Spezza.

I also don't agree that this a a bush league move. It's a tactical move in order to benefit the franchise. It's no different than playing any trade partner off of one another in my opinion. Also, he's got to sell this move to the fans, and he's trying to win a PR battle here as well.

For the longest time I have thought Ottawa/Toronto deal made sense.

Ottawa won't do it for whatever reason.
- Travis Yost

I don't understand it either, is Ottawa really in any position to turn down quality, cheap players because of geography? I get it that you don't want the embarassment of Spezza lighting you up, but the building is already full of Leafs fans anyway, why not bet on a package of Kadri or Gardner and a pick rather than a 31 year old UFA to be with injury history.

For the longest time I have thought Ottawa/Toronto deal made sense.

Ottawa won't do it for whatever reason.
- Travis Yost

Will the threat of a potential T.O. move be enough? If Spezza can't handle Ottawa, then T.O. is out of the question.

He didn't leak anything, if you watch the interview he was just answering the questions honestly. Poile the same.

Unfortunately if you go by what Twitter reports it twists the context as always.
- Cup 06

You do not have to provide every detail when answering questions. I know this because I hear a million times a season that a player has an upper or lower body injury. Or that there are a "number" of interested suitors, a couple who have made "interesting" offers. It's great that he did this occasion -- I wish he did it every occasion. But he doesn't, nor does anyone else for that matter.

I'm not saying there was a purpose in the way he answered. I'm saying that simply suggesting he answers every question that's directed to him is ... objectionable. Consequently, when questions are answered like that, I think people have a right to wonder.

Brian Murray has got to be biggest idiot in the NHL. Why he insists in making all the players he trades look bad in the press is beyond me. The Spezza thing is turning into another Brian Murray mess. Star players want out of Ottawa because of the lack of professionalism the team shows when dealing with the press. The amount of stuff that gets played out in the press is ridiculous. For example, the Dany Heatly situation, the Alfredson situation last year, the term and the amount of money offered to Hemsky, and now playing the victim because Spezza has a no trade clause and he's using it. When you see a professional trade like the Kessler trade yesterday, the GM takes the high road regardless of what the player does or says.

Well thought out Travis.

One issue, Curran knew Murray was negotiating with teams from the list. He told the team they would consider(and still are) teams from his list. Spezza is holding out for his preferred destination (STL). Stastny will be the final domino. Once that is decided Spezza will re-evaluate his situation. He can submit a new list this July of ten teams, same or new.

They haven't closed the door on the Preds yet.
- Cup 06

I think your entirely correct. Way too much progress made today for so many people to be upset.

Huge pressure on Blues knowing that teams in their Division are starting to circle one of the players they would like. Does not matter where Stastny signs (assuming in the West), it only ramps up pressure on other teams. Only concern is that Murray not get greedy and take the fair deal.

You do not have to provide every detail when answering questions. I know this because I hear a million times a season that a player has an upper or lower body injury. Or that there are a "number" of interested suitors, a couple who have made "interesting" offers. It's great that he did this occasion -- I wish he did it every occasion. But he doesn't, nor does anyone else for that matter.

I'm not saying there was a purpose in the way he answered. I'm saying that simply suggesting he answers every question that's directed to him is ... objectionable. Consequently, when questions are answered like that, I think people have a right to wonder.
- Travis Yost

Yeah it is certainly up for debate the benefits of being so candid. At least it's entertaining.

While everything said here is true, you left out that players can, and have in the past, accepted to waive to go to teams that are part of their no-trade lists. Also like was said, this doesn't mean anything unless Spezza shows up at camp like Heatley did and burns all his bridges. I agree this is a hack job by Murray, but not against Spezza. It's directed towards the rest of the GMs in the league.

I doubt it's done with the cynical intent being proposed to make Spezza the bad guy for a poor return (as he's said before, he won't trade him unless a decent offer comes along that he can work with). We're dealing with a lot of speculation here in terms of who engaged in the negotiations initially (given what Poile is saying I would guess Nashville proposed the deal), and have no idea why Spezza would refuse to go there. As has been said here earlier, Spezza needs to resubmit his team list next week, and may want to change some of the teams on it.

I see this whole thing as just a signal to the rest of the league from Murray that "look, I got my first legitimate offer from these guys in Nashville, but I can't pull the trigger. This is what I see as his worth though, so either match it or get fahked."

Once Statsny signs, this will all play out.

You do not have to provide every detail when answering questions. I know this because I hear a million times a season that a player has an upper or lower body injury. Or that there are a "number" of interested suitors, a couple who have made "interesting" offers. It's great that he did this occasion -- I wish he did it every occasion. But he doesn't, nor does anyone else for that matter.

I'm not saying there was a purpose in the way he answered. I'm saying that simply suggesting he answers every question that's directed to him is ... objectionable. Consequently, when questions are answered like that, I think people have a right to wonder.
- Travis Yost

Well put. Exactly this.

While everything said here is true, you left out that players can, and have in the past, accepted to waive to go to teams that are part of their no-trade lists. Also like was said, this doesn't mean anything unless Spezza shows up at camp like Heatley did and burns all his bridges. I agree this is a hack job by Murray, but not against Spezza. It's directed towards the rest of the GMs in the league.

I doubt it's done with the cynical intent being proposed to make Spezza the bad guy for a poor return (as he's said before, he won't trade him unless a decent offer comes along that he can work with). We're dealing with a lot of speculation here in terms of who engaged in the negotiations initially (given what Poile is saying I would guess Nashville proposed the deal), and have no idea why Spezza would refuse to go there. As has been said here earlier, Spezza needs to resubmit his team list next week, and may want to change some of the teams on it.

I see this whole thing as just a signal to the rest of the league from Murray that "look, I got my first legitimate offer from these guys in Nashville, but I can't pull the trigger. This is what I see as his worth though, so either match it or get fahked."

Once Statsny signs, this will all play out.
- ahjnkn

I agree. I don't know if Ottawa has a choice, though. I'd guess first solid offer post-Stastny gets it done.

You do not have to provide every detail when answering questions. I know this because I hear a million times a season that a player has an upper or lower body injury. Or that there are a "number" of interested suitors, a couple who have made "interesting" offers. It's great that he did this occasion -- I wish he did it every occasion. But he doesn't, nor does anyone else for that matter.

I'm not saying there was a purpose in the way he answered. I'm saying that simply suggesting he answers every question that's directed to him is ... objectionable. Consequently, when questions are answered like that, I think people have a right to wonder.
- Travis Yost

Don't kid yourself there was a purpose and Murray achieved his exact intended purpose. Buyers are trying to squeeze him. Spezza is helping in the squeeze. He just started squeezing back. Everyone is doing their job here. There are no bad actors. The market will carve out a fair result.

I think your entirely correct. Way too much progress made today for so many people to be upset.

Huge pressure on Blues knowing that teams in their Division are starting to circle one of the players they would like. Does not matter where Stastny signs (assuming in the West), it only ramps up pressure on other teams. Only concern is that Murray not get greedy and take the fair deal.
- spatso

I think if Murray took the Blues last offer of Berglund and the 21st most Sens fans would have vomited.

Interesting to note that Dorion said they were going to take Englund in the first round if they had a pick after twenty. They seem genuinely giddy about this kid.