TORONTO — Jason Spezza says it's been difficult to see the bond between the Ottawa Senators and their fans deteriorate.
He's also convinced there are brighter days ahead.
The 35-year-old centre spent the first 11 seasons of his career in the nation's capital, helping the club get all the way to the 2007 Stanley Cup final.
Dealt to the Dallas Stars in July 2014, a lot has changed since Spezza left Ottawa.
Negative headlines dogged the Senators last season — including a threat by owner Eugene Melnyk to move the team if ticket sales didn't improve — as the franchise tumbled down the standings before a forgettable spring and summer off the ice culminated with the trade of captain and star defenceman Erik Karlsson.
Ottawa was averaging 15,082 fans a night at Canadian Tire Centre through six home games heading into Thursday's visit by the Buffalo Sabres, and had just 12,358 people in the stands when Dallas was in town last month.
"It's hard for me to watch a little bit from a distance because I like to see the community behind the team," Spezza said before the Stars met the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday at Scotiabank Arena. "You don't like seeing the building missing a few thousand people because I feel like we worked really hard to build such a strong bond with the community."
The No. 2 pick at the 2001 NHL draft, Spezza had 251 goals and 436 assists for 687 points in 686 games with Ottawa. The Toronto native added 52 points in 56 playoff games, with 22 coming in that run to the 2007 final.
Despite the rough patch the Senators have gone through, the team's former captain is confident things will get better as Ottawa goes through its rebuild with a roster of young players.
"That's a hockey town. It'll rally back behind the team," Spezza said. "Whatever the issues are, they'll come around, they'll figure it out. It is hard to see the building not be full because we did a lot to fill the building up and we took pride in it.
"It's a fun place to play, so I don't like seeing it that way."
Spezza, who suited up for his 1,000th NHL game Tuesday in Montreal against the Canadiens, headed into Thursday with 896 career points (326 goals, 570 assists).
But coming off the worst statistical season of his career after registering just eight goals and 18 assists in 78 games in 2017-18, he's feeling rejuvenated under rookie Stars head coach Jim Montgomery with eight points (two goals, six assists) in 11 outings prior to Thursday.
"We're a little more up tempo, a lot more skating, puck pressure as opposed to letting teams come at us," said Spezza, who is in the final season of a four-year, US$30-million deal with Dallas. "Monty's challenged me to get back to where I was a couple years ago and contribute every night.
"My role's increased, I'm back on the power play, I'm being asked to do more. … As a player, that's all you can ask for."
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