In a way, Jason Spezza has always been like this. He's the affable but intense, thoughtful and talented teammate he's always been. He's the guy with a letter on his chest and expectations on his shoulders, someone who housed a young teammate for a full season or held an engagement ring in safety for another. He's the hockey nerd whose thirst for the game doesn't dim when he leaves the rink.
But as he approaches his 1,000th game next week, Spezza has also evolved his game, and refined his focus after a disappointing campaign last season. He says he cheats less in the defensive zone and has developed more of a 200-foot game.