Jason Spezza Joins AHL's Griffins
April 16, 2002 - American Hockey League (AHL) News Release
Center Jason Spezza, the second overall pick in the 2001 National Hockey League Entry Draft, has been assigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League by the parent Ottawa Senators.
Spezza, 18, will join the Griffins in Chicago for Game 3 of their conference quarterfinal Calder Cup playoff series against the Wolves on Wednesday night.
The number-one rated prospect in North America entering last June's draft, Spezza completed his junior career on Monday night when his Belleville Bulls team was eliminated four games to two by the Barrie Colts in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the Ontario Hockey League. He appeared in 11 playoff games, recording 11 points (five goals, six assists).
Spezza was named to the OHL's 2002 Third All-Star Team after totaling 105 points (42 goals, 63 assists) in 53 regular season contests with Belleville and the Windsor Spitfires. He was named the OHL Player of the Week four times this season and earned Canadian Hockey League Player of the Week honors on two occasions.
In a season-ending coaches poll, Spezza was named the OHL Eastern Conference's smartest player, best stickhandler and best playmaker. He is also Belleville's nominee for the OHL's most outstanding player award.
The Mississauga, Ontario, native won a bronze medal with Team Canada at the 2001 World Junior Hockey Championships in Moscow. At the 2000 World Junior Hockey Championships in Sweden, Spezza became just the fourth Canadian player (Wayne Gretzky, Eric Lindros, Jay Bouwmeester) to compete in the tournament as a 16-year-old.
Upon completion of the 2000-01 season, Spezza was selected to the OHL's Third All-Star Team and was chosen as Windsor's most outstanding player and the OHL Western Conference's best playmaker, after collecting 43 goals and 73 assists in 56 games. He began his junior career in 1998 with OHL Brampton and, at the age of 15, became the youngest player to perform in an OHL all-star game. In 228 career junior games, Spezza recorded 131 goals and 222 assists for 353 points.
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