Bob McKenzie
10/19/2006 7:40:09 PM
It is too early for the Ottawa Senators and their No. 1 centre Jason Spezza to push the panic button over their respective slow starts, but at the very least there should be concern.
Concern, because going into Thursday night's game against the Colorado Avalanche, Spezza has just two goals in his first five games, both of them coming in the same game
It has also been well documented that Senators' head coach Bryan Murray is not happy with the level of Spezza's play in all three zones of the ice.
But as much of a concern as that may be, there's an even bigger concern for Spezza and the Senators, and that is the long-term health of Jason Spezza.
Now, it should be noted that Spezza was in the Senators' lineup Thursday night against Colorado, but there is reason to believe Spezza has been greatly troubled in the early going by a bad back, which was surgically repaired in the offseason.
Sources tell TSN Spezza was in Toronto earlier this week having it checked out and that more tests and medical opinions are being sought.
For now, Spezza is playing through the discomfort and pain. It's possible he may just be having issues with post-op scar tissue, but it's also possible there may be some more serious back issues at hand.
And if it should turn out to be the latter, then a bit of an early-season slow start by Spezza would become the least of the Senators' worries.
10/19/2006 7:40:09 PM
It is too early for the Ottawa Senators and their No. 1 centre Jason Spezza to push the panic button over their respective slow starts, but at the very least there should be concern.
Concern, because going into Thursday night's game against the Colorado Avalanche, Spezza has just two goals in his first five games, both of them coming in the same game
It has also been well documented that Senators' head coach Bryan Murray is not happy with the level of Spezza's play in all three zones of the ice.
But as much of a concern as that may be, there's an even bigger concern for Spezza and the Senators, and that is the long-term health of Jason Spezza.
Now, it should be noted that Spezza was in the Senators' lineup Thursday night against Colorado, but there is reason to believe Spezza has been greatly troubled in the early going by a bad back, which was surgically repaired in the offseason.
Sources tell TSN Spezza was in Toronto earlier this week having it checked out and that more tests and medical opinions are being sought.
For now, Spezza is playing through the discomfort and pain. It's possible he may just be having issues with post-op scar tissue, but it's also possible there may be some more serious back issues at hand.
And if it should turn out to be the latter, then a bit of an early-season slow start by Spezza would become the least of the Senators' worries.
