Jason Spezza isn’t hanging up his skates just yet.
The 38-year old forward has signed a one-year, $750,000 extension with the Maple Leafs. Per the Collective Bargaining Agreement signed in August, Spezza will get a $50,000 bump in salary to meet the league’s new minimum requirement.
Spezza scored 10 goals and recorded 30 points in 54 games during the regular season. The point total was his highest since he put up 50 in 68 games with the Stars in 2016-17. When the 2021-22 season begins, he will be 30 points away from 1,000 for his NHL career.
During the Maple Leafs’ year-end availability, general manager Kyle Dubas expressed an interest in bringing the veteran forward back. Spezza said he felt like he still had plenty left to give and was looking to help the team get over the playoff hump in 2022.
[NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs 2021 schedule, TV info]
“I feel like there’s a lot of unfinished business,” Spezza said. “They’re invested in the group here and I’m hopeful that I get another opportunity next year and push this team over the top.”
It will be a busy off-season for Dubas as he looks to construct a Maple Leafs roster that will look to finally make a run at the Stanley Cup. There’s the question of what to do in goal with Frederik Andersen, plus the likes of Zach Hyman, Wayne Simmonds, Nick Foligno, Alex Galchenyuk, Zach Bogosian, and Joe Thornton among the other unrestricted free agents. According to Cap Friendly, space will be pretty tight.
————
Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy.