Very early on in Jason Spezza’s time as an unrestricted free agent this summer, the 36-year-old Mississauga-born forward made the decision: he wanted to be a Maple Leaf.



He wanted to play for a team capable of being a success, raise his four young daughters in an environment they’d enjoy and play for a team he’s long had an emotional connection to.



There were other teams interested in Spezza, who would have been able to offer more than just the league minimum salary that Toronto could likely afford. For the last four seasons, Spezza earned $7.5-million per season with the Dallas Stars.



But even as teams inquired about Spezza’s services, he remained steadfast in his decision. He understood the Leafs cap crunch, sure. Spezza was willing to sign just a one-year deal without putting much priority to his salary. The only question was, would the team Spezza grew up cheering for, also want him as well?



Spezza’s camp reached out...