Jason Spezza's kids are wearing their Stars sweaters to school more often, and that means either the Stars are doing well or the Spezzas are becoming a part of the fabric of Dallas.
Actually, it's probably a bit of both.
"This feels as comfortable as I've felt in a long time," Spezza said. "For me, this has been a great transition, and it feels like home."
That's saying a lot for the 32-year-old center. He was born and raised in the Toronto area and then was drafted by the Ottawa Senators and spent 11 seasons with that team. He was about as Ontario as a person could get. But, in moving to Texas last season and becoming a huge part of the Stars organization, Spezza has made a very difficult transition look very easy.
"I'm sure he's tired of me bugging him with questions all of the time about Dallas," said veteran Patrick Sharp, who joined the Stars this season. "I know he just got here last year, but it feels like he's been a staple of the Stars franchise for many years. He's definitely made an impact on the team."
And that's what Spezza has been seeking. While he's been a point-a-game player for most of his career, he said he doesn't need the numbers to be happy. Instead, he said he craves the comfort that comes from being part of a winner.
"I'm trying to score every night, but I know my role here," he said of seeing his time on ice drop from 19-plus minutes in Ottawa to 16:13 this season. "Past our first line, we have a lot of balance in our lineup. It does affect your numbers, but you're giving yourself a chance to win."
Spezza said he doesn't mind playing behind Tyler Seguin, who is chasing a league scoring title, because that means the team is good. He added, however, that he still is driven to contribute points. Last season, he had 62 points in 82 games. This season, he's on pace for 62 points in 82 games.
That's a significant drop from the 84 he had three seasons ago, but he knows that the end of the season has the chance to be much better if the Stars can get deep into the playoffs. In a lot of ways, he's following a path set out by Joe Nieuwendyk, who had 55 points in 1998-99 and then won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
"I mean, that's what you want, to score the big goals in the big games. That's what you hope for," he said. "You want to be a contributor when your team gets there ... and we're trying to get there first."
At 17-4-0, the Stars are on their way, and that's another reason it's not tough for Spezza to see his minutes reduced or see his role diminished slightly.
Sharp did the same thing in Chicago and won three Stanley Cups along the way.
"I've been through it, and I know that the years you win it all, you don't worry too much about the regular season looking back," Sharp said. "When you get a chance to play on a great team, I think you're willing to sacrifice points for wins."
Spezza is fully onboard that train.
He said that facing his old team was harder last season, and that he doesn't expect there to be as much inner drama when the Stars play the Senators Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. That doesn't diminish his memories or the importance of the Senators, it's just that he knows he has moved forward and is in the middle of a new challenge.
"I think it's always tough to leave, especially when you were in one place like that for so long," said Stars coach Lindy Ruff, who made a similar move from Buffalo. "There was some adjustment, but he seems comfortable. He's made this his home, and he feels like he's a big part of this team and a big leader on this team."
Twitter: @MikeHeika