Jordan Spence
2018-19 Team: Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
Date of Birth: February 24th, 2001
Place of Birth: Sydney, Australia
Ht: 5-foot-10 Wt: 165 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: D
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2019 first-year eligible
Rankings
- NHL Central Scouting: 59th
- Future Considerations:55th
- HockeyProspect.com: 97th
- The Hockey Writers (Pike’s Picks): 72nd (final)
After being passed over in his first year of eligibility for the QMJHL Draft, Jordan Spence has taken some big steps over the past two years.
In 2017-18, Spence put up 52 points in 50 games for the Summerside Western Capitals of the Maritime Junior ‘A’ League, and quickly hopped onto the radar of many QMJHL scouts. Following his season in Summerside, he was drafted 20th overall by the Moncton Wildcats; the team in which he played for this past season.
Spence had a terrific rookie season in the QMJHL. He notched six goals and 43 assists in 68 games. His 43 assists in the regular season placed him first in that category among all rookies of any position.
The Wildcats rookie’s game is built around his hockey sense. He passes the puck with confidence and uses his high-end vision to create offence. He excels on the power play by having a pass-first mentality and an accurate shot.
At barely 5-foot-10 and only 165 pounds, Spence is undersized for a defenseman and will need to get much stronger if he wants to make it in the pros. Surprisingly, however, for a small player, his skating ability is only average. He’s not overly quick and because of this he struggles to create open ice for himself, and this also makes it harder on him when trying to take away time and space from the opponent.
If his skating and overall physical strength don’t improve he will never be an impact player in the NHL.
Jordan Spence – NHL Draft Projection
Spence is projected to go in the middle rounds of the draft, but his hockey sense and ability to produce offensively may force a team to pick him in the earlier rounds. On the contrary, in my opinion, Spence’s skating and size are not good enough and I would have a hard time picking him earlier than the sixth round.
Quotables
“Spence became Summerside’s top defenceman, logging big minutes in every situation. He put a heavy emphasis on improving his skating and proved the value he could have on both sides of the puck.” – Liam Fox/Hockey Canada
“To become a successful and impactful defensemen in today’s game, you must excel in the transition, keep a tight gap, have good puck retrieval skills and the ability to jump up into the rush. Jordan Spence in one capacity or another, displays all of these fundamental skills at a good level. ” – Finlay Sherratt/The Puck Authority
Strengths
- Hockey Sense
- Playmaking
Under Construction (Improvements to Make)
- Size
- Physicality
- Skating
Other THW Profiles
NHL Potential
Spence has the potential to be a top-six defender on an NHL team with a chance at being a leader on the powerplay. Although, if he’s not able to improve his skating he won’t make it past the ECHL.
Risk-Reward Analysis
Risk – 3.5/5 | Reward 3.5/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offence – 8/10 | Defence – 6/10
Awards/Achievements
As mentioned earlier, Spence had an outstanding rookie season. He was selected as the QMJHL Rookie of the Year and was awarded the Raymond-Legacé Trophy, which is given to the QMJHL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year.