A few weeks ago, we looked at Los Angeles Kings prospect Helge Grans, who was off to a hot start in Sweden. However, it just so happens that another right-handed defense prospect, Jordan Spence, is off to a great start of his own this season.
Spence was selected by the Kings in the fourth round of last year’s NHL draft and is in his third QMJHL season with the Moncton Wildcats. Coming off a season where he was named QMJHL Defenseman of the Year and scored 52 points in 60 games, it may have seemed like Spence would have a hard time topping last year’s achievements. At least in terms of his production, however, Spence is certainly putting himself in a good spot to surpass last year’s totals.
In just 13 games this season, Spence has already scored five goals and 16 points. Those numbers are good enough to place him first on the Wildcats in points and 12th in the league overall. This also comes despite the fact that Moncton has a losing record and is currently tied for last place (points) in the Maritimes Division. For reference, here’s how Spence’s 1.23 points per game average compares to the points per game average of some fairly recent QMJHL graduates in their final season of junior hockey:
Thomas Chabot: 1.32
Samuel Girard: 1.27 *(had another year of QMJHL eligibility remaining)
**Jordan Spence: 1.23
MacKenzie Weegar: 0.97
Noah Dobson: 0.93 *(had another year of QMJHL eligibility remaining)
Ryan Graves: 0.78
That would be quite the pace to keep but regardless, it’s certainly nice to see him off to such a hot start. He was recently invited to Team Canada’s 2021 World Juniors selection camp and while he’ll be up against tough competition when it comes to earning a spot, his strong start is only going to help his chances.
Between Spence and Grans, who each come with a lot of potential, along with the Kings’ current right-side defense, we can probably agree that the team is in a good spot when it comes to right-handed defensemen. It’s tough to say how Spence will fit into the Kings’ long-term plans but he’s certainly a player to keep an eye on going forward.
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Here’s today’s poll question (results and discussion will be posted in a future article):
What is your long-term projection for Jordan Spence?
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