2025 NHL Draft Eligible Malcolm Spence is Making A Name for Himself at the IIHF U18 World Championships

Malcolm Spence is having quite the performance through two round-robin games at the IIHF U18 World Championships, beginning his campaign for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.

Erie Otters forward Malcolm Spence is already building his resume ahead of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, as the late 2006-birthday is standing out early on for Canada at the U18 World Championships.

Spence has three goals and one assist through two tournament round-robin games thus far, but most significantly he has been getting under his opponent's skin. He has been making it very difficult for opposing players to track him and shut him down, but he's also been playing with an edge.

Spence seems to have an edge to his game where he can get into his opponent's heads and frustrate the opposition. This mean streak adds layers to Spence's game, and it allows him to exploit the weaknesses of opposing defencemen much more often. 

He plays hard on the forecheck and pressures opponents so tightly that it makes them panic with the puck. Spence always seems to recognize the right attack angles in the offensive zone, and wins board battles regularly.

The Otters winger is wearing an 'A' for Canada in this tournament, and he has certainly been exceeding expectations in the leadership department on the ice. He's been taking control of games and showing off all of the offensive tools he has to offer as well. 

In Friday's game versus Czechia, Spence scored just five seconds into the game to give his team an early lead, and they never looked back. He ended up adding another goal and an assist in this game, and Canada won 6-0.

Spence is a 2006-born player, but his late birthday doesn't make him draft eligible until the 2025 NHL Draft. With his performance at this year's U18s so far, he is certainly putting himself on 2025 draft radars — if he wasn't on there already.

He's been playing on a weaker Erie Otters team for the past two seasons, and it has been difficult for him to stand out on a league-wide scale. This tournament puts the spotlight on him, and he has certainly delivered so far.

The 2nd overall pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection still has the rest of the tournament to prove himself, but just two games in, he is turning heads.