Malcolm SPENCE

Left Wing
6’1/203
Left
Erie Otters/OHL

Related: Victor Eklund

Malcolm Spence has been a highly touted name for the 2025 NHL Draft for a few years now. The hype hasn’t stopped, as he currently ranks eighth overall according to Elite Prospects’ consolidated rankings list. He was drafted second overall by the Erie Otters at the 2022 OHL Priority Selection, and since then, he has amassed over 100 career points and wore an alternate captain’s “A” for Erie this past season. Malcolm Spence has been a staple on the Canadian National Team as well, winning gold at both the World Junior U-18’s (Also with an “A”) and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup Tournament in 2023, scoring at a point-per-game rate at both tournaments. He is a hard-forechecking forward who is every coach’s dream playing a very sound 200ft game. He consistently logs time on both special teams units and has the skill at both ends of the ice to warrant it. Although not often, he has also shown an ability to take draws here and there. He is puck-hungry and constantly pressuring the opposition, making their lives a living hell whenever he steps out onto the ice. Malcolm Spence is a two-way forward who plays an aggressive forechecking game with adept defensive skills, logging significant time on both special teams. The Otters’ forward may not have the dynamic offensive abilities of some of the higher-end players in the draft but he has consistently produced well on the international stage amongst some of the best players in his age group. His game has many great qualities that coaches will love and his versatile skillset should make him an attractive option to NHL teams, meaning he likely won’t have to wait long to hear his name called next June.
Malcolm Spence looks like a potential top 10 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and a top 6 two-way Winger at the NHL level.

Size/Strength Great
Skating Good
Shot/Scoring Great
Puckhandling Great
Physical Play Average
Offensive Play Great
Defensive Great
Hockey Sense Excellent
Competitiveness Great

Strengths

1 A physical, do-it-all forward who always seems to know what to do. His understanding of how to positively impact the game in various ways allows him to have a good game even when his A-game isn’t present.
2 Spence is an absolute menace on the ice, and he’s got the skill to step it up. He gets in the way of just about everyone, has some of the best chirps in the class and then will make you pay with a nice goal.
3 Spence attacks the net when he creates turnovers in the offensive zone and pushes defenders back in transition. Opponents can’t sleep on him when he’s killing penalties.

Areas of Improvement

1 Spence is arguably a more “complimentary” player even at the junior level.
2 May Not have as high a ceiling as some other top 10 prospects
3 Excellent Skater, but looks sort of Awkward.

Scouting Report

Playing a two-way heavy forechecking style like Malcolm Spence does, his skating ability can be the deciding factor for his future NHL projection. In many cases, it can hold players back from breaking into a top-6 role. Luckily for him, his skating is not a major flaw in his game and should not hold him back much as he moves up the ranks. Though, I would not say his skating is his strongest attribute. He is able to generate good power in just a few strides and can even find good separation using his speed. He is also quite mobile, being able to move around defenders with little issue and showing flashes of deception in his movements at times, despite not having the smoothest stride. The very foundation that Spence’s game is built around is his insatiable drive to hunt down pucks. It is how he typically creates offense and how he suppresses the opposition’s offense. He is a quintessential puck-hound and arguably his best attribute is his forechecking ability. Spence rarely takes a shift off and has a relatively high motor, showing a great compete level in all three zones. This typically sees him engaging opponents one-on-one trying to strip them of the puck but he also has good situational awareness at times and is able to apply a more passive pressure and guide them into trouble before striking. Spence has many tools in his belt that help him generate offense and capitalize on chances. Of course, as I mentioned before, a large part of his offense comes from his heavy forechecking game. One of the most notable ways he does this is by creating odd-man rushes or breakaways from stealing pucks. Another way that Spence is able to contribute on offense is by utilizing the home plate area in front of the opposing team’s net. When he does not have the puck, he can usually be found either battling for position in front of the goalie or getting into open ice to prepare to be a shooting threat. As a two-way forward, Malcolm Spence has a fairly well-rounded defensive game. As with the last two categories, stealing pucks and winning battles is a large part of his play on defense. It’s a cliché, but he possesses an active stick that he uses very well to steer opponents into danger and to suppress their offense. Spence’s adept defensive play allows him to consistently log time on the penalty-kill where he is able to steal pucks from opposing players and kill time by rushing up the ice with possession and applying pressure when the puck reaches the other end. His NHL Comparable is Mark Stone, who is a steady and reliable two-way winger and has a reputation a puck-hound and net-front presence. Even if he doens’t have top-six NHL production, Spence’s ‘B’ game will allow him to fit comfortably in a third-line role where he will be able to match-up and kill penalties. With that in mind, his floor his high enough to make him a top-10 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

Skill: Two-way forward with great versatility and reliability all zones

NHL Comparable: Mark Stone

NHL Potential: Top 6 Two-way Forward

Season	Team	League	GP	G	PTS
2023-24	Erie Otters	OHL	66	19	62
	Canada U18	WJC-18	7	3	7
	Canada U18	Hlinka Gretzky Gup	5	2	5
2024-25	Erie Otters	OHL	36	17	43