The referendum on Jordan Spence certainly isn’t new. Listed at 5’11” and 188 lbs, Spence’s size is something that is inevitably brought up whenever any discussion or analysis of the defenceman’s game occurs. Often portrayed as a shortcoming, Spence’s size was a detriment during the Los Angeles Kings' 2025 postseason series against the Edmonton Oilers, averaging 7 minutes of ice time per game. It was certainly a contributing factor in the coaching staff’s decision to play him in an insulated role against easier competition, and eventually culminated in last summer’s trade that sent him to the Senators for a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick. THN's Steve Warne explains why, if he's still available to the Senators at 32, London Knights forward Jaxon Cover could be a compelling option. After just one year with the Senators, many of the same questions are arising. What is Jordan Spence? Does it make sense to have a relatively undersized defenceman in the top four? Can he play tough minutes in the postseason against physical opponents when the middle of the ice and the net front need to be defended efficiently? The questions keep arising because Spence is a restricted free agent needing a new contract. It would be one thing if Spence’s game played to the narratives that have dogged him. In fact, the opposite was true in Ottawa. Spence thrived. Although the start of Spence’s season was unquestionably a challenge, it represented a period of adjustment for the player. Coming from Los Angeles, where the Kings relied on a heavy dose of man-on-man coverage to suppress chances, Spence’s transition to how the Senators defended took time, culminating in a few healthy scratches early in the season. Once Spence grew accustomed to how the Senators wanted him to defend, he flourished playing the majority of the season alongside Tyler Kleven on the Senators’ third pairing. In the 656 five-on-five minutes that the duo was on the ice for this season, the Senators generated 60.77 percent of the shots (CF%), 61.96 percent of the shots on goal (SF%), 65.09 percent of the total goals (GF%), and 62.30 percent of the expected goals (xGF%) per Evolving-Hockey. Spence would finish the season with seven goals and 31 points in 73 games. Playing an insulated role on a team as structurally sound as the Senators, it makes sense that there would be concern that Spence’s metrics are inflated because of his role on this team. The wrinkle with Spence is that he thrived in every role he was utilized in. Of the defencemen who logged over 140 minutes of five-on-five ice time with a partner, only three pairings (Devon Toews/Sam Malinski, 243 minutes; Denton Mateychuk/Ivan Provorov, 299 minutes; and Damon Severson/Zach Werenski, 394 minutes) had higher expected goals percentages than the three pairings that Jordan Spence played on this season. Image [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/d0448663-05ab-4a8b-bad7-41dbbe4d2103.png] In the postseason, Spence’s impressive metrics held up, even in light of the increased responsibilities due to Artem Zub’s injury. After the Senators’ best defensive right-shot defenceman was felled in the first game, Spence was called upon to play important minutes during the team’s first-round series with Carolina. In his 93 postseason minutes of five-on-five ice time per Natural Stat Trick, the Senators generated 53.85 percent of the shots (CF%), 56.00 percent of the shots on goal (SF%), and 57.04 percent of the expected goals (xGF%). Given the circumstances, Spence was very good. HockeyViz's isolated impacts also portray a very strong two-way player, irrespective of his size. Image [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/9b199b26-2a20-41e5-a5e7-b9bc4f6a48fa.png] There will always be something to be said about Spence’s size and ability to defend the slot and middle of the ice against bigger opposition when the games mean more, but he held his own. He held his own during the regular season, and he held his own while averaging 25:03 of ice time against the eventual Stanley Cup champions. Despite this effectiveness, there are questions about whether Spence can be an effective top-four guy because he does not fit the archetypal narrative. What is striking is that the same discussion points were never raised regarding Nick Jensen, another defenceman the Senators routinely played in their top four when he was healthy. Although Jensen had a strong start to his Senators career in the first three months of the 2024-25 season, his play waned, and he struggled to resemble the player he had been pre-surgery. Spence’s play helped fill Jensen’s absence, but reports indicated the Senators had kicked tires on the Philadelphia Flyers’ Rasmus Ristolainen at the NHL trade deadline. So, it stands to reason the organization may continue to explore the market for other right-shot options that allow them to use Spence in a depth capacity. Doing so would afford the organization the opportunity to let prospect Carter Yakemchuk develop his defensive game in the AHL, while continuing to prioritize their short-term interests. Conversely, there is definitely something to be said about Jordan Spence’s contract negotiations and whether this is the opportune time to sell high on the asset. If his camp is asking for a significant amount of money and term, it would make sense for the Senators to explore the market. At the very least, exploring the market before tendering any contract offers is a smart management exercise. Led by general manager Steve Staios, the Senators’ front office has developed a reputation for its due diligence and its willingness to exhaust every possibility in a trade. There certainly is a possibility that the organization could look to use Spence as a chip to add skill and speed to their wing. And realistically, the Senators would have to add to Spence to acquire the kind of talent they are looking for. That said, there is not a ton of proven depth behind Artem Zub, who is in the last year of his contract. Yakemchuk should develop into a nice option, but he may be another year or two away from being an impactful NHL player. Similarly, Nikolas Matinpalo makes for a nice depth piece, but if the Senators were to move on from Spence, they would need another quality option in their top-four. Unless you are the San Jose Sharks trading down in the first round, those types of moves are not easy to make. It is not the most enviable position for the Senators to be in, but it stands to reason that the Senators will explore all of their options. By Graeme Nichols The Hockey News This story was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Read more by visiting the THN Sens site at one the links below: Report: Former Senator Alex Formenton Now Officially An Unrestricted Free Agent [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senators/latest-news/report-former-senator-alex-formenton-now-officially-an-unrestricted-free-agent] Why Haven't The Senators Re-Signed Claude Giroux Yet? [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senators/latest-news/why-havent-the-senators-re-signed-claude-giroux-yet] Will Senators Enforcer Kurtis MacDermid Be Back With Ottawa Next Season? [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senators/latest-news/will-senators-enforcer-kurtis-macdermid-be-back-with-ottawa-next-season]
