It’s the list that keeps on growing.
Coveted center Jason Spezza agreed to part ways with the Ottawa Senators this summer, but a modified no-trade clause in his contract allowed him to reportedly compile a list of 10 teams that he wouldn’t accept a trade to.
It turns out that list is actually a little longer, thanks to some clever tactics by Spezza and his agent.
According to TSN’s Steve Lloyd, the Ottawa captain left two Canadian teams off that list assuming that the Senators wouldn’t trade him to a division rival.
[tweet https://twitter.com/TSNSteveLloyd/status/479242393808408576 align=’center’]
The addition of the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs narrows the list of teams with the chance of winning the Spezza sweepstakes down to 17.
The initial report by TSN’s Darren Dreger noted that Spezza’s no-trade list includes all six Canadian teams as well as the New York Islanders, Nashville Predators, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Florida Panthers. That leaves two American squads unaccounted for.
For Boston Bruins fans getting their hopes up, though, the possibility of the highly touted center wearing black and gold seems unlikely. As of now, the most likely destinations for Spezza appear to be the Anaheim Ducks, the St. Louis Blues and possibly the Chicago Blackhawks or Dallas Stars. That is, as long as one of those teams doesn’t join Spezza’s list as well.
The 31-year-old has 687 points in 686 career NHL games.
