Toronto Maple Leafs: Mike Babcock’s comments on Jason Spezza perplexing

After making his debut in the pre-season for the Toronto Maple Leafs, it appears Jason Spezza will have to do a lot to impress Mike Babcock.

During his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, it can’t be stated enough how much Mike Babcock likes his veteran players which is why the Jason Spezza situation is quite perplexing.

Following Tuesday’s pre-season opener against the Ottawa Senators, Babcock was asked about Spezza accepting his position as a veteran role model. The Leafs coach went on to say that it is something the team and the veteran centre are currently evaluating

"“There’s a role here for him, but he’s got to be able to do it,” Babcock told reporters. “We’re just in the process of feeling him out, and he’s in the process of feeling us out.”"

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That did not seem like a big deal at the time until Babcock was asked to elaborate on his comments saying that he wants to see if Spezza wants to play in the role the team wants him to play which is not something he has done throughout his career. Clearly this is a test for Spezza to prove he will do whatever it takes to help the team considering Babcock likes what a player like Frederik Gauthier provides.

What makes this so confusing is that while Spezza is not your typical fourth-line centre, he is certainly a better option over what the team has been putting out the past couple of season. It will certainly be interesting to see how this develops and what happens if Babcock decides to make the veteran a healthy scratch during the season.

In the past veterans have spoken out against Babcock because they felt like he did things that most coaches probably wouldn’t do to a player like Spezza. At the same time, it is a bit hypocritical to hear Babcock put that pressure on Spezza when a player like Patrick Marleau struggled to sustain his production and effectiveness but remained in the coach’s good graces.

Of course, there is still a lot of exhibition hockey to be played so it would be tough to suggest Spezza being in trouble to make the Leafs final roster. Considering the experience he brings and still being a quality player in a lesser role, it shouldn’t be too difficult to put the 36-year-old in a position to succeed.

What are your thoughts on Babcock’s comments on Spezza? Do you expect him to make the opening night roster? Let us know in the comments below.