| Born: | June 13, 1983 | Draft: | 2001 Senators, #2 Overall |
| Hometown: | Mississauga, ON | Position: | Centre |
| Known For: | Shoots: | Right | |
| National Team: | Canada | Current Team: | Pittsburgh Penguins (Asst. General Manager) |
Jason Rocco Anthony Spezza (born June 13, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre and current assistant general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL).
After beginning his major junior career at the early age of 15 in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Spezza was selected second overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft by the Ottawa Senators, eventually serving as their team captain following the departure of Daniel Alfredsson. Playing in the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2004–05 due to the NHL lockout, he won the Les Cunningham Award as league MVP with the Binghamton Senators. In 2005–06, Spezza set an Ottawa Senators franchise record with 71 assists, while hitting the 90-point mark for the first of two times in his NHL career.
Internationally, Spezza has represented Canada at three World Junior Championships and two World Championships. When he made his World Junior debut in 2000, he became just the third 16-year-old in history to make the team, behind Wayne Gretzky and Eric Lindros.
Spezza announced his retirement on May 29, 2022, and immediately took on a role in the Maple Leafs’ front office as an assistant to the GM; a position he held until Kyle Dubas and the team mutually parted ways in the 2023 offseason.
Jason Spezza Statistics
Deeper Dive
- 3 Maple Leafs Who Can Provide a Major Impact in the Playoffs
- Maple Leafs Three Most Surprising Players for 2020-21 Season
- Maple Leafs Seeing in Spezza What Babcock Never Could
- Senators History: Revisiting Jason Spezza’s First Career Hat Trick
- 20 Years Later – Jason Spezza Trade Between Spitfires And IceDogs
- Maple Leafs’ Spezza Still Chasing Stanley Cup Dreams
- Spezza’s Consistency and Skill Make Him a Senators Legend
- Maple Leafs’ Fourth Line Is Redefining the Label
Staff History
- Toronto Maple Leafs (Assistant to the GM) 2022-2023
- Pittsburgh Penguins (Assistant GM) 2023-present
Achievements
- World Championship (WC) All-Star Team (2015)
- WC Best Forward (2015)
- WC Gold Medal with Team Canada (2015)
- Captain of the Ottawa Senators (2013-2014)
- Spengler Cup Champion (2013)
- 2x NHL All-Star Game (2008, 2012)
- 2x WC Silver medalist with Team Canada (2008, 2009)
- 2x AHL All-Star Game (2003, 2005)
- AHL First All-Star Team (2005)
- AHL MVP (Les Cunningham Award) (2005)
- AHL All-Rookie Team (2003)
- World Junior Championship (WJC) Silver Medal (2002)
- WJC Bronze Medal (2001)
- WJC All-Star Team (2001)