TORONTO -- The Stanley Cup is in safe storage at the Hockey Hall of Fame, but Jason Spezza has a chance to lead one Senators team to the promised land this season. While starring for the AHL's Binghamton Senators wasn't the way Spezza would have scripted his season, he doesn't have much choice since the chances of there being an NHL season are looking grim.
And that's why the Baby Sens are asking Spezza to challenge himself and lead Binghamton to an AHL championship.
'UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY'
"Jason Spezza has a unique opportunity," Senators assistant coach John Paddock, who is acting as a co-coach with Dave Cameron in Binghamton until the NHL lockout is over, said yesterday at the Air Canada Centre.
"If there's no NHL, and it's more and more like there's not going to be, he has the chance to lead this team to a high level and win a championship. Who knows if he's going to get that kind of opportunity again?
"He shouldn't be here just trying to stay in shape and stay ready while the NHL lockout is happening. He should be here trying to develop into the best player he can be to lead this team to a championship. That's a work in progress right now. I fully expect that if there's no NHL, next June that's what will happen."
It was as much Spezza's choice to come to Binghamton as it was the Senators' desire to have him here. He phoned Paddock in May to see if there was a possibility of playing in the minors during the lockout.
Spezza didn't perform up to expectations in the first few weeks. Like the other Senators playing in Binghamton -- Brian Pothier, Anton Volchenkov and Antoine Vermette -- Spezza had to get his head around the fact he's here and it could be to stay.
But Spezza has started to dazzle. Prior to last night's 4-2 loss to the St. John's Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre, he sat third in the AHL's scoring race with nine goals and 20 assists in 21 games.
"They've kind of challenged me to take the team under my wing and get these guys to the next level and win a championship. I was expected to come here and bring experience. That's what I'm trying to do," said Spezza.
There's an old saying in hockey that the great ones make the players around them better. That's what the Senators want from Spezza.
WILL BE NO. 1 CENTRE
Spezza is going to be the No. 1 centre in Ottawa once the NHL starts up again. He's got to get used to the role and he's starting to prove in Binghamton how much he wants it.
"I know what's expected of me," said Spezza.
"You look at the great players like Peter Forsberg, Steve Yzerman and Joe Sakic who led their teams to championships and the role they play. Those guys do whatever it takes for the teams to win," said Paddock.
"Who knows if Jason Spezza is going to get a chance like this at any other level? The one thing I know about Jason Spezza is he wants to be the best and he wants to learn."
bruce.garrioch@ott.sunpub.com
