Malcolm Spence is a swiss-army knife. The competitive, well-rounded forward’s consistent play across all three zones and situations makes him a welcome addition to any team’s top-9. He is an asset on both the power play and penalty kill, and exhibits all the traits of high-level puck retrieving wingers. The skill ceiling isn’t super high, but there are enough physical traits and hockey sense present to make Spence an intriguing late-first round selection.
If his production can take another jump as he moves to a more competitive league in the NCAA with Michigan, he should serve as a do-it-all winger for years to come.
Pre-Draft Rankings
#21 by The Athletic (Corey Pronman)
#25 by Elite Prospects
#16 by TSN (Bob McKenzie)
#22 by Sportsnet (Jason Bukala)
Statistics
What’s there to like?
Malcolm Spence wins this draft’s award for “guy you hope doesn’t fall to the Panthers”. Tenacious, competitive, and quick, Spence uses a combination of a superior hockey sense and a dogged work ethic to make impacts all over the ice in a variety of different ways. He is the rare defensively responsible winger who will always be in good position, pressuring point men, and getting in passing lanes smartly.
Spence loves a good forecheck, hurrying defenders and forcing turnovers at his leisure. A fair bit of his offense comes from breaking things up, sifting through the rubble of a broken play, and making the correct decision. That knowledge extends all over the ice, Spence understands the flow of play really well, and always seems to be popping up in the right places to win the puck and turn it into instant offense. He has a quick skating stride to go with an above average reach, and he really knows how to use it well.
Malcolm Spence a perdu des plumes cette saison, soyons honnêtes.
— La Première Ronde (@1ereronde) March 9, 2025
Il connaît tout de même une saison raisonnable, avec 64 points en 58 matchs pour les @ErieOtters
Hier, il s'est déchaîné avec une performance de 4 points (2+2). pic.twitter.com/SaJu9KVgYF
Spence is a coach’s dream due his combination of a high-motor and intense competitive drive, and he should be able to get comfortable playing in all three situations at the next level. He has a big body as well, already measuring in at 6’2, 201 at just 18 years of age. He isn’t as obssessed with blowing people up in the open ice as others in this draft (see: Kashawn Aitcheson), but his forechecking pressure is elite, and there isn’t an opposing defenseman playing who wants to shoulder check and see Spence barrelling in behind them to finish along his check along the end boards. His physical and mental maturity make him a set-and-forget type player who seems keen to adapt to any level of hockey. Having just committed to the University of Michigan for next season, Spence should get a chance to grow his game even more in what will be a largely more competitive environment. It also does say something that such a prestiguous program was interested in bringing him on board.
His 32 tallies tied him for second on the Erie Otters this year, and marked a large improvement in his goal total from his rookie year. There was definitely more of a killer instinct present in Spence’s game this season, he showed more of a willingness not only to make plays that led to goals, but a finishing touch as well.
What’s not to like?
Spence doesn’t have any glaring holes in his game per se, instead, the apprehension with drafting him comes from the fact that he just seems so perfectly poised to be a third-line winger. He isn’t any sort of special play-driver at a looser OHL level, and that will more than likely continue with the Wolverines next season; his shot isn’t elite either, and that just further reduces his offensive ceiling.
While his goal total jumped from 19 in his first season with Erie, to 32 in his second, Spence’s production still didn’t take that leap that was expected of such a seemingly dynamic player. He’s continued to slowly sink down draft boards because it’s starting to seem as if he just may be a slightly more skilled checking forward, and taking that sort of archetype in the first round just doesn’t make much sense.
If Spence makes the jump to the NHL and his skills translate to a lesser extent than expected, you’re looking at another Ryan Poehling. And there’s nothing wrong with Ryan Poehling! He’s a good hockey player who was also a first rounder and has played a long time, with some decent production. But I’m sure Montreal, who selected Poehling 25th overall in 2017, would have wanted a little more from that spot.
There’s just not a ton of confidence in his offensive game to continue growing right now, and as a winger that will continue to limit his draft stock.
How would he fit in the Flyers’ system?
It really is unfortunate that John Tortorella couldn’t last long enough to petition for the selection of Malcolm Spence, he would have loved him.
But now that Torts is gone, it seems like the Flyers could honestly do with more high-skill swings to supplement their already decent stock of defensive forwards. Spence would add another layer to the top nine, and while he isn’t going to drive a line on his own, he has the potential to be a very good connective piece that plays up and down the lineup. His versatility will make him fit in almost anywhere, but part of me wonders if the Flyers already have some pretty similar pieces in players like Noah Cates and Tyson Foerster.
Spence would be a sensible pick for literally every team in the league, but out of that big pool of teams, it feels as if the Flyers should aim somewhere else instead of just adding to their already deep selection of forecheckers.
Could the Flyers actually get him?
Spence looks like he’ll be very much available with one of the Flyers’ picks that they have in the 20s, either with Edmonton’s first, or Colorado’s. He’s going to be on the board unless some team really likes his high-energy game and takes him late in the teens, but those odds aren’t high. If the Flyers do love his potential and think he’ll be unavailable in the 20’s, a trade up situation shouldn’t be hard to draw up, either, as the Flyers probably wouldn’t need to move up more than five picks or so.
What scouts are saying
“Spence is a competitive, fast, detailed, hardworking player who can get out in transition or attack off the wall. He plays the game with intention, sticks with plays and has decent-though-not-dynamic skill. He plays with pace on and off the puck, keeps his feet moving and gets up and under sticks to win back possession. He has worn an “A” and been a real play-driver for the Otters the last two years as a late 2006 birthday. He again wore an “A” for Canada and stirred the drink with his pace, effort level, skating and shot at last year’s U18 worlds.” – Scott Wheeler
“Malcolm Spence is built for the playoffs in many ways. In the defensive zone, he applies a ton of pressure, reaching with his stick, guiding players to low-danger spot, disrupting, annoying. And he applies the same kind of pressure on the forecheck. He intercepted a D-to-D pass here and turned that interception into a wrap-around goal, where he smartly shot far side on the goalie, anticipating him closing the short side. He battled net front and orchestrated some passing plays. He scored with another well-placed one-timer after being left alone in the slot Mostly, he was an off-puck, support, more physical presence”. – David St-Louis
“Spence struggled at times in the first half of the season, but his game started improving offensively as the year went along. He has a great track record as well, including being a top player for Canada’s U18 team the prior season multiple times. Spence’s compete is excellent and is the calling card of his game. He’s a tenacious worker who wins a ton of battles and gets to many pucks due to his length, speed and effort. He comes back hard and is a great two-way forward.” – Corey Pronman
That means it’s time to add another name into the pot as we close in on the 20’s. This time, it’s Seattle Thunderbirds standout Braeden Cootes.
“Cootes hasn’t scored at high levels, but he’s played on a thin Seattle team. He’s a likable all-around forward. He’s a good, if not very good skater who plays with a lot of pace. He has strong offensive skills, playmaking and finishing abilities. He creates offense at fast tempos and in a direct manner. He’s not that big, but he plays big, showing a high compete level and not backing down from physical play. There will be some minor debates on how much offense Cootes will have in the NHL, but early indicators are it could be just good enough to be a regular center who provides two-way value.” – Corey Pronman
