'They'll always remember you': Why Spezza relishes history-making moments

NEW YORK -- The answer is Daniel Alfredsson and Wade Redden.
The question is who assisted on Jason Spezza's first NHL goal?
That's important this season, because Spezza keeps finding ways to help Dallas Stars players score their first goals. He did it again Sunday, feeding Roope Hintz for a shot from the slot at 4:40 of the second period in a 6-2 win over the New Islanders.
"I love being a part of guys' first goals, they'll always remember you," Spezza said with his trademark laugh. "Everybody remembers their first goal. Firsts are fun."

It was a play worth remembering, as Spezza dug in the corner, dragged a puck out with his skate and got it to his stick. He then whipped it out to an open Hintz, who scored in his sixth NHL game.
"That's the biggest thing that you can do, the first goal," said Hintz, who scored 20 goals in the AHL last season and 32 in the Finnish Elite League before coming over to North America.

It's also important for Hintz, who made the opening-night roster out of camp, but then was sent back to the AHL after a disappointing first five games. He went back to the Texas Stars and had 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in nine games, earning a chance to get called back up.
"It's really cool, and Roope played really well tonight," Spezza said. "When I saw we were playing together, I was excited, because I knew he had a good camp and he didn't love the way he played in the first few (NHL games). So we knew we were going to have a motivated guy tonight."
Stars coach Jim Montgomery said he could see the determination in the versatile forward, who turned 22 on Saturday.
"Right from the first period, I could tell he had a lot of jump," Montgomery said of Hintz. "We had 11 forwards going, and he was getting a lot of ice time because of it."
Getting to play with the veteran Spezza was a bonus for Hintz, and Spezza said he has been relishing playing with younger players in his 16th NHL season. A self-described "hockey nerd," Spezza knows pretty much everything that's going on with his teammates. So when he had a chance to set up Miro Heiskanen for his first NHL goal earlier in the season, Spezza seemed more excited than Heiskanen in the post-goal celebration. And when Denis Gurianov scored his first NHL goal off of Ben Gleason's first NHL assist, Spezza quickly skated over to collect the puck and make sure it was saved.
"I love seeing the guys and how happy they get. I remember how I felt," Spezza said. "It's a little bit of relief, too, the first one is tough to get."

He added that he loves the vibe it puts in the room. Defenseman Gavin Bayreuther made his NHL debut Friday at home against Boston and then picked up his first NHL point Sunday against the Islanders on a beautiful stretch pass to Alexander Radulov.
Those are great stories, and Spezza loves stories.
"It makes for good conversation in the room," he said. "It makes for guys being in a good mood, especially when it comes in wins. It makes you kind of be able to reflect on it for them. It's a great thing for them to score."
Oh yeah, and Spezza collected his 900th career point on his assist to Hintz. That's kind of nice, too. The veteran, of course, said Hintz gets the real puck and he'll take a replacement for his collection.
"Nobody will ever know," Spezza said with a smile.
Oh, but hewill -- and that might make the puck even more special. It has a pretty good story behind it.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika,and listen to his podcast.