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Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Malcolm Spence will play his first game for Canada at the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase on Wednesday, but the New York Rangers top pick from this year\u2019s NHL Draft has already made a solid first impression.<\/p>\n
Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff listed Spence as a top standout from Canada\u2019s intrasquad game Tuesday. Spence played left wing on the second line for Canada White, which defeated Canada Red 4-3 in a shootout. <\/p>\n
Though he didn\u2019t score, \u201cSpence was one of the more energetic forwards for Canada White. I loved how hard he chased after Red\u2019s top players and didn\u2019t seem to care that it was an intrasquad game,\u201d Ellis noted<\/a>.<\/p>\n That tenacity, focus and willingness to play a 200-foot game are among the reasons that the Rangers selected Spence in the second round (No. 43 overall) of the 2025 draft. It didn\u2019t hurt that the 18-year-old forward, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs a solid 203 pounds, scored 32 goals and had 73 points in 65 games with Erie of the OHL last season, either.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s the intangibles that impressed Ellis most in the scrimmage Tuesday.<\/p>\n \u201cSpence has never been the most skilled or offensive player, but he never takes a shift off and is always trying to make things happen,\u201d Ellis remarked.<\/p>\n Reading that comment, it\u2019s no wonder why the Rangers jumped at the chance<\/a> to select Spence, after he somehow slipped through the first round. The Rangers clearly lacked enough players with that intensity last season. Though Spence is nowhere near NHL ready and will be a freshman at the University of Michigan this coming season, he fits what the Rangers are looking to add as a person, leader and player.<\/p>\n Related: What Rangers want to see from EJ Emery, Malcolm Spence at 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase<\/a><\/p>\n Can Rangers top pick land spot on Canada\u2019s WJC roster?<\/p>\n Originally expected to be a healthy scratch for Canada against Finland on Wednesday, Spence will play left wing on the fourth line. Canada has 36 players on its showcase roster, including 20 forwards, so there\u2019ll be plenty of mixing and matching, and players coming in and out of the lineup, this week.<\/p>\n There are also eight forwards \u2014 each a first-round draft pick \u2014 who were invited to the showcase by Hockey Canada but couldn\u2019t or didn\u2019t attend. Among those are 2024 draft standouts Tij Iginla and and Beckett Sennecke, and 2025 first-rounders Caleb Desnoyers and Roger McQueen.<\/p>\n Related: Top 10 New York Rangers prospects after 2025 NHL Draft, including Malcolm Spence<\/a><\/p>\n So, what are the chances that Spence lands a spot on Canada\u2019s roster for the 2026 World Junior Championship, which will be played in Minneapolis\/St. Paul beginning in late December?<\/p>\n \u201cSpence could make it as a fourth-liner, unless the team elects to take more skilled players instead,\u201d Ellis said. \u201cBut Spence feels like a player built for this team.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s music to the Rangers ears. Even playing a fourth-line role in such a prestigious international tournament would be a tremendous experience for such an important prospect like Spence.<\/p>\n First, let\u2019s see if he can build on that solid first impression the rest of this week.<\/p>\n \t\t \t\tJim Cerny is Executive Editor at Forever Blueshirts and Managing Editor at Sportsnaut, with more than 30 years of … More about Jim Cerny<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMentioned in this article: Malcolm Spence<\/a> Rangers Prospects<\/a> <\/p>\n![\"Syndication:](\"https:\/\/www.foreverblueshirts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Syndication-GoErie.com-25939916-788x631.jpg\")
GREG WOHLFORD\/ERIE TIMES-NEWS \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n<\/p>\n