St. Louis Blues 2025 Draft Target: Malcolm Spence

In November 2024, the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced players would now be eligible to play in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and Spence will transfer to the University of Michigan for next season. This decision could help him take his game to the next level.

What Others Say About Malcolm Spence

“Spence has taken a big step forward in his draft year as he sits third in scoring for the Otters with 59 points in 56 games. His speed and work ethic are what make him effective when he has the puck, constantly driving hard to the middle and creating opportunities for others. He excels in a lot of areas of the game as a player that can do it all and can provide a spark for his team. His work ethic is very noticeable and his strength stands out in plays below the goal or on the boards winning battles. He’s an effective speedy, energetic and hard-working forward that will be a difference maker for the future.” – Peter Baracchini, The Hockey Writers

“Little has happened to change our original assessment of Malcolm Spence and—depending on where you stand—that’s either a positive or a negative. With Matthew Schaefer absent and Erie facing some locker-room drama, it’s quite commendable that Spence has remained as consistently effective as he is. While he is largely playing support to his two seniors, Spence does seem to be playing a role that I believe would fit him at the NHL level: a complementary forward that battles on the boards to create possessions while having the skill to convert them. To hang with NHL speed, Spence will need to take his skating up a notch and become more active in the neutral zone, but the foundations are present for an NHL caliber player and first-round selection.” – David Saad, Dobber Prospects

“Spence plays a mature, straightforward brand of hockey rooted in directness and physicality. Offensively, he shows a strong understanding of game flow, recognizing when to carry the puck in and when to chip and chase to get in hard on the forecheck. He navigates the dirty areas around the net effectively by staying in motion and competing for space, rather than simply parking himself. While not a flashy puck-handler, Spence protects the puck well and makes crisp passes with good timing and awareness, though his overall vision may be more functional than creative. His shot is a clear asset — he wastes no time releasing hard, accurate attempts that don’t linger on his stick. He does, however, need to improve his stick positioning in the offensive zone when he doesn’t have the puck.” – Aaron Vickers, FC Hockey

Where Spence Would Fit on the Blues

As the Blues struggle to get their special teams into the top 10 and have been doing so since the beginning of the 2024-25 season, Spence could be the answer, as a great second-line forward who could also play on the first power play and penalty killing unit. He plays left-wing, which can make moving him around in the lineup easier. However, Spence should have plenty of time to develop in the NCAA before the Blues make massive changes to their lineup.

Spence is a big-moment player, recording nine points in nine playoff games (third most on the Otters) and seven points in seven games at the 2025 U18s to help push Canada to a gold medal victory. He also scored the golden goal for Canada at the 2023 Hlinka/Gretzky Cup. With all his clutch performances and achievements in mind, Spence could fit into the Blues’ playoff roster as they could rely on him as a player who can step up and perform at his best in must-win situations.

Why Is Spence the Player the Blues Need?

Spence’s skill set shows a lot of potential for the Blues, and he could very well be the piece they need to get out of the mediocre category and into playoff contention talks every season. There is only one problem with Spence: he has no sign of offensive progression and is not a player who has significant point production.

However, these are minor issues that the Blues can help him work through. His special-teams performance should be enough to catch the organization’s eye. He is projected to go anywhere from 12th to 29th overall, which puts the Blues in a great spot at the 19th pick to select him.

I don’t see him being NHL-ready when he finishes his junior career. He should spend time in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Blues’ affiliate, Springfield Thunderbirds, to tweak minor issues in his game and prepare him for professional hockey.