2025 NHL Draft’s Malcolm Spence is a force of nature

Steven Ellis
Steven Ellis(sellishockey)
Jun 5, 2025, 09:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 5, 2025, 09:53 EDT
2025 NHL Draft’s Malcolm Spence is a force of nature
Credit: (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)

When the NCAA announced that CHL players would be able to participate moving forward, most wondered when the first big domino would fall.

A bunch of names immediately started swirling – Gavin McKenna, Michael Misa, Porter Martone, you name it. Then, Calgary Flames prospect Henry Mews committed to one of the biggest college hockey programs, the University of Michigan Wolverines.

But in terms of the top 2025 NHL Draft prospects, we were still missing the first notable star. That all changed on May 12, 2025, when, after months of speculation, Erie Otters left winger Malcolm Spence announced his commitment to Michigan as well.

Spence isn’t flashy, but scouts agree he’s going to be an absolute menace in the NHL. Spence is coming off his third season with the Otters, registering a personal-best of 32 goals and 73 points. He also had his best playoff run to date, scoring four goals and nine points in nine games. His numbers aren’t mind-blowing by any means – he had 61 fewer points than the top-scoring draft-eligible OHLer in Michael Misa. But Spence’s all-around game will make him a first-round pick in Los Angeles in a few weeks’ time.

Spence likes to be an intimidator. At the 2024 U-18 World Championship in Finland, he was so physically engaged against Sweden in the opening game that it looked like we were close to witnessing an extremely rare fight in IIHF competition. His mix of brute force and skill makes him a pain to contain. His two-way game is as good as you’ll find from a winger in this class, too.

“He’s an unbelievable player, he works so hard,” said McKenna, the top prospect in 2026. “He’s got an incredible shot, he makes plays, he’s got everything you want in a player.”

Spence’s intensity is hard to shake. Minutes after a game, he still looks locked in, whether he wins or loses. Teams notice that – they love players who lay everything on the line every single night. That’s what makes Spence so enticing.

“I like to make an impact any way I can,” Spence said prior to the CHL USA Prospects Challenge. “I just like to win and want to do whatever I can to help my team do it.”

Spence is the type of player you can put out there with anyone and get results from. He scored the game-winning goal off a great effort in the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup final, creating his own breakaway after starting the rush in his zone. Spence then had his great showing at the U-18s, where teammates and coaches applauded him for his work ethic and his leadership.

“He keeps guys accountable in the room,” said Gardiner MacDougall, who coached Spence at the U-18s. “When you have a lot of great players, that’s a special skill that he has.”

Spence loves to drive the net and doesn’t lose position often thanks to his muscle. He does a good job of getting pucks to the net and creating rebounds, which he often snags himself. He scored more than 30 goals for the first time in his junior career this year by just forcing himself into scoring lanes better than most other draft-eligibles. Spence doesn’t have high-end speed, but he’s a good skater overall and should have no problem translating that aspect to the NHL.

There aren’t many flaws to Spence’s game, but he likely doesn’t have the game-breaking skill to be a burner in the NHL. And that’s fine. He’s projected more in the 15-25 range, anyway. We’re likely talking about a forward who tops out at the 50-point ballpark but still finds a way to be effective at both ends of the ice. That’s the allure here – Spence is well-rounded and does as much, if not more, off the scoresheet as he does on it.

On the ice, opponents hate him. Off the ice, his teammates love him.

“He’s a great guy,” said top 2025 NHL Draft prospect and Otters teammate Matthew Schaefer. “We’ve become really close over the last two years I’ve been playing with them. On the ice, he’s a great player, but off the ice, he’s such a great person… with everything I’ve been through the past few years, he was there for me.”

As teams look to replicate the Florida Panthers‘ game plan of being difficult to play against both with and without the puck, Spence seems like a natural fit for many. He hits hard, plays hard, and works hard. The most significant focus when he heads to college will be on trying to find another level offensively against tougher competition. Spence has so many NHL qualities in his game, and it’s only a matter of time until he starts pissing off opposing fanbases on a regular basis.

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