The Ottawa Senators made the move everyone was waiting to see, trading Jason Spezza out of the organization he spent 13 years in, to the Dallas Stars. In return the Senators get Alec Chiasson, Alex Guptil, Nicholas Paul, and a second round pick in 2015. The Stars also get Ludvig Karlsson.
The 31-year-old still has one year remaining on his current contract and is set to earn $7 million next year. After a lack-luster season by the Senators, Spezza decided that his time with the Ottawa franchise was done and requested a trade to get him out. His current contract also includes a modified No Trade Clause, which means Spezza can submit a 10-team list of organizations he does not want to be traded to.
In 686 career games over the course of 11 seasons with the only team Spezza has played for, he has put up 687 points (251 goals, 436 assists), reaching the 90-point plateau twice and going a point-per-game or more four times. In the 2012-13 season, Spezza played just 5 games before being side-lined by a back injury that would later require surgery to fix a herniated disc. This resulted in Spezza missing the remainder of the season and the first round of the playoffs that year. (SIA Alert)
Spezza was named the team captain, the eight in the team’s franchise, last year. He replaced Daniel Alfredsson, who departed for the Detroit Red Wings.
In 75 games last season, Spezza put up 23 goals and 66 points. The Senators failed to make the playoffs finishing in sixth place in the Atlantic Division.
Chiasson is a 23-year-old winger who scored 13 goals and 35 points for the Stars as a rookie last season. He is seen as a developping powerforward given his 6’3″ 206 lb frame. He was the Stars second round pick, 38th overall, in 2009.
Nicholas Paul was the Stars 4th round pick, 101st overall, in the 2013 NHL draft. He had 26 goals and 56 points in 67 games for North Bay in the OHL last season.
Alexander Guptil was the Stars 3rd round pick, 77th overall, in the 2010 NHL draft. He finished his junior year at Michigan, scoring 12 goals and 25 points in 31 games last season before turning pro. He had 2 assists in 5 games with the Stars AHL affiliate at the end of the year.
Karlsson scored 24 points in 39 games in the ECHL last year.
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