Spezza's Illegal Stick

Spezza's Illegal Stick refers to an NHL game between the Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Maples on March 9th, 2009.

Down one goal with around a minute left to play, then Leafs coach Ron Wilson requested that the referees measure Jason Spezza's hockey stick to determine if he was playing with an illegal curve or thickness. This is a rule that is seldom enforced, reiterating the petty and pathetic nature of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Suspecting that Maple Leaf shenanigans were afoot, Spezza infamously stepped in his stick, and broke the blade off of the shaft in order to make it more difficult for the refs to enforce the rule. Nevertheless, the referees measured his stick and determined that it was, in fact, an illegal piece of equipment. Spezza was assessed a minor penalty, however the Leafs failed to score and the Senator's would go on to win 2-1.

Spezza had mentioned in 2008 that he "shaves down his sticks".