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 Scouting Report
Position: Left Wing
DOB: Sept. 22, 2006
Height: 6’2 (188cm)
Weight: 192lbs (87kg)
Nation: Canada
Team: Erie Otters (OHL)
Shoots: Left
Skating
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 first clip highlights his straight-line speed, as he is able to split the defense and go on a quick breakaway by getting ahead of the play.
In the second clip, Spence gathers a loose puck in the defensive zone and goes for a rush with the puck. He enters the offensive zone while drawing in a defender before quickly passing it back to a teammate inside the blue line. He displays both decent speed and a little bit of deception as he flashes a few fake moves.
Forechecking/Motor
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.
This clip shows Spence picking off an attempted D-zone breakout pass and he is able to set up a nice goal.
Here, Spence carries the puck up the right wing and has it knocked away by a defender. He then fights back and is able to sneak a pass to his teammate, who then sets up a goal.
Offense
You don’t score over 60 points in your DY-1 by accident, but you can do it in different ways. 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.
Spence is able to read the play well and get to the puck below the goal line. He then quickly carries it out front and sends the puck to the front of the net for his teammate to bury it home.
Spence races for a puck into the offensive zone, pressures the opposing D-man to make a bad pass, and then plants himself in the slot, where he is able to get a shot off and pick up his own rebound for a nice backhand goal against Czechia.
Spence slips behind the defense and is able to remain open for a pass. He then carries the puck right to the front of the net for another nice backhand goal.
Another major part of Spence’s game is his shot. Putting it simply, he can rip pucks. He has a very powerful and accurate shot that is capable of beating netminders cleanly. If given the time and space, he can pick corners well and is even able to show off some finesse when given the chance.
Right off of the opening draw, Spence pounces on a bouncing puck and snipes it to open the scoring just seconds into the game.
Spence steals the puck on the PK, carries it into the offensive zone and wires it home on a beautiful wrist shot.
Defense
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.
In this clip, Spence catches an opposing player in the neutral zone and he does a great job of closing in on him and forcing a turnover using his stick to block his passing lanes.
Another big part of Spence’s game is his ability to create offense through actions in the defensive zone. He is able to spot vulnerabilities and by playing an aggressive style is able to create odd-man rushes for himself. He takes the saying, “The best defense is a good offense” to heart.
In the first example, he closes in on a point man in the defensive zone, smacks the puck away, steals it, and scores a beautiful breakaway goal.
In this one, he gets behind the opponent in his own end, lifts his stick, and is able to carry it all the way into the offensive zone, where he scores a goal off of the wing.
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.
In this specific clip below, he follows the puck carrier, and after he reaches the Erie zone, Spence smacks the puck away and is able to carry it deep into Saginaw’s end, wasting time on their powerplay.
Spence is able to read the play as it develops, and on multiple occasions, I caught him covering for his defenders. Forwards that do this display a great level of defensive awareness and confidence in their ability to defend. It is very valuable to have players who can do this as it helps to open up more flexibility in the offensive zone where defenders can step up and help to create offense without leaving their partners completely stranded.
Conclusion
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.
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