Latest news with #Spence
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Junior roomies Malcolm Spence, Matthew Schaefer set to join Rangers-Islanders rivalry
Malcolm Spence and Matthew Schaefer were teammates and roommates with Erie of the Ontario Hockey League. But they'll be on opposite sides of the New York Rangers' rivalry with the New York Islanders after each was taken with his new team's first pick at the 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles. The Islanders selected Schaefer, a defenseman, with the No. 1 pick on Friday night. The Rangers, who didn't have a first-round selection, chose Spence on Saturday with their second-rounder, the 43rd overall pick. Advertisement Schaefer took a jab at the Rangers a few minutes after being chosen, not knowing that his roomie would soon be a Blueshirt the next day. 'I've heard a lot about that rivalry,' Schaefer told the NHL Draft Class podcast. 'I hate losing, so I'm looking forward to going and just beating them every time we play them.' He and Spence have played together with Erie for the past two seasons. Now they're in line to be rivals. 'He's one of my closest friends, and you want to have your buddies succeed, but a little awkward now with the Rangers and Islanders,' Spence said. Their friendship/rivalry wouldn't be unique. Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin and his Islanders counterpart, Ilya Sorokin, compete fiercely on the ice but have been buddies since their days playing in Russia. But they square off at opposite ends of the ice and don't have to make contact with each other, as Spence and Schaefer will when they face each other. Junior roommates Spence, Schaefer join Rangers-Islanders rivalry Spence didn't immediately put the Rangers-Islanders rivalry angle together – he didn't make the connection until a reporter asked him about Schaefer and their relationship. Advertisement 'The second you said it I was thinking about it,' Spence said. 'It's a little rivalry now, but I know with 'Schaef', we want to be competitive so it's going to bring the best out of each other. I'm really excited for both of our careers.' The junior teammates won't face each other right away. Schaefer is likely to begin his career on Long Island in the fall, while Spence is headed for the University of Michigan – where he'll try to prove the rest of the League wrong for letting him slide into the second round. He was ranked 17th on NHL Central Scouting's final list of North American skaters, but 17 of the skaters ranked after him were selected before him in the draft. 'I think there were some expectations that were set for myself and obviously I went a little later than I thought I was going to go,' Spence said. 'For me, that's just going to be more motivation. I'm really happy that I'm the Rangers' first pick. To me, that shows they really believe in me. To go to an organization like that and play in front of that fan base in that city, it's something cool. I'm just really excited.' Advertisement Spence will see one friendly face at Rangers' development camp next week. He'll be with another Erie teammate, forward Carey Terrance, who was acquired on June 12 in the trade that sent longtime Rangers forward to the Anaheim Ducks. Spence and Terrance played on the same line in Erie the past two seasons. Spence had 73 points (32 goals, 41 assists) in 65 games this season. Terrance, a 20-year-old who was taken by the Ducks with the 59th pick in 2023, had 39 points (20 goals, 19 assists) in 45 games. GREG WOHLFORD/ERIE TIMES-NEWS / USA TODAY NETWORK 'That was my first thought when I put the jersey on, maybe I'll get to play with Carey again, which is pretty cool,' Spence said. 'Definitely will give him a call after this.' Advertisement Spence has gotten a taste of the Big Apple. His sister, Camille, a dancer and actress, recently graduated from Pace University, which has a campus in downtown Manhattan — a subway ride from Madison Square Garden. 'We were in New York for my sister's graduation, so we got to tour around there,' he said. 'We just went around the city, walked around. It's a pretty cool spot. Really excited to go there and be in the big NYC. It doesn't get better than being with the Rangers. It's New York City. You're in front of the bright lights and for me, I thrive playing in atmospheres like that.' Schaefer won't be far away at Islanders development camp — his first stop in trying in trying to live up to being the No. 1 pick in the draft. Advertisement In the meantime, there will be texts and chirps — 'We'll definitely have some words, for sure,' Spence said. They're still friends. But the rivalry is on. Related Headlines
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
New York Rangers Daily: Reason for optimism after NHL Draft; Mitch Marner sign & trade discussed
Let's be honest. No matter how positive or pessimistic you are in the immediate aftermath of the 2025 NHL Draft, we really won't be able to properly assess if the New York Rangers did a good job or not with their eight selections until several years down the road. So, we're not posting a winners and losers list from the 2025 draft here at Forever Blueshirts any time soon. Advertisement But it's hard not to be excited about the Rangers landing Malcolm Spence with their first pick of the draft, No. 43 overall. The 18-year-old forward is big (6-foot-1, 203 pounds), strong and fast, and scored 32 in 65 games with Erie of the OHL last season. He's also a committed two-way player, who plays a 200-foot game and can be trusted defensively. Toss in his well-earned reputation as a natural leader and high-character person, on and off the ice, and you can see why so many hockey experts labeled Spence as the steal of the draft. Yes, there are inconsistencies in his game. Yes, he had an infection that caused him to lose a lot of weight last season because he couldn't eat solid food for an extended stretch. It's not all perfect. Yes, even Spence admitted Saturday he needs to mature more physically before he's ready for the NHL. But, for sure, there's plenty there to feel really good about Malcolm Spence. And the simple fact that the Rangers made eight picks in the draft — after totaling nine the previous two years combined — is reason for some optimism. The odds have to be better that you hit on some of these players the more picks you have, right? Advertisement John Lilley, who heads up the Rangers draft each year, said they saw something in 6-foot-5 defenseman Sean Barnhill, the No. 70 overall pick, who many experts thought was a reach. Some draft gurus were smitten with Norwegian center Mikkel Eriksen, New York's fourth-round pick. Others raved about sixth-round pick Evan Passmore, a 6-foot-4 defenseman from Barrie in the OHL. That's all well and good. But no rushing to judgement here. Let these boys develop into men as players in the coming years before we decide to grade this draft class. Next step: Rangers development camp in Westchester next week. New York Rangers news Here's our complete draft tracker for the Rangers, with analysis on each selection this year. Advertisement The Rangers are being lauded for making a 'great pick' by landing Malcolm Spence in the second round, No. 43 overall. Malcolm Spence and Matthew Schaefer were roommates at Erie and now they are on opposite sides of the intense Rangers-Islanders rivalry. Even Spence admitted that it's a bit 'awkward' now. For his part, Schaefer immediately fueled the rivalry with the Rangers after the Islanders selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Speaking of the Rangers and Islanders, Igor Shesterkin was selected as the top Russian goalie in the NHL by none other than his local counteroart — and bestie — Ilya Sorokin in a recent interview. Advertisement Looking ahead to NHL free agency, which begins Tuesday, here are the best available players on the open market for the Rangers and other teams to consider. NHL news and rumors Sportsnaut: Not all of the top storylines from NHL Draft weekend related directly to the draft. Here's really good breakdown by Mike Morreale of all the top draft-related moments this past weekend. The Athletic ($$): You already know that we don't like quick winners/losers takes after the draft. But, we do respect Scott Wheeler enough to share his winners and losers list. TSN: So, the decentralized draft? 'Early returns certainly weren't positive,' Chris Johnston reported on Insider Trading. That might be an understatement. Advertisement Detroit Hockey Now: The Red Wings fortified their goaltending position when they acquired John Gibson in a big trade with the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday. Sportsnet: The Toronto Maple Leafs are desperately trying to work out a sign-and-trade deal with the Vegas Golden Knights for UFA Mitch Marner. NYI Hockey Now: After a very busy weekend, the Islanders reportedly are close to signing defenseman Alexander Romanov to a long-term contract extension. TSN: The Calgary Flames signed pending RFA defenseman Kevin Bahl to a six-year, $32.1 million contract. Florida Hockey Now: Panthers general manager Bill Zito is still confident he can re-sign pending UFAs Brad Marchand and Aaron Ekblad before July 1 free agency, but admits he has a 'Plan B and Plan C' if unable. Advertisement Daily Faceoff: The St. Louis Blues quietly took care of an important piece of business Saturday by re-signing backup goalie Joel Hofer to a two-year, $6.8 million contract. Sportsnet: Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman admitted he's got a lot on his plate at the moment, but did say he plans to work on a contract extension for coach Kris Knoblauch 'in time.' Sportsnet: Right when the Rangers were selecting forward Malcolm Spence in the second round of the NHL Draft, the Ottawa Senators were announcing that they acquired defenseman Jordan Spence (no relation) in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings. Seattle Times: General manager Jason Botterill said that the Kraken will not be buying out the remainder of Philipp Grubauer's contract, despite the goalie's poor tenure in Seattle, to date. Advertisement Related Headlines
Ottawa Citizen
2 days ago
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Mixed emotions for P.E.I.'s Jordan Spence after trade to Ottawa Senators
Jordan Spence said he felt mixed emotions after learning he would have a new home for the 2025-26 NHL season. Article content The Los Angeles Kings traded Spence to the Ottawa Senators for a 2025 third-round draft choice and a sixth-round pick in 2026. Article content Article content 'Just being in L.A. for so long and them actually calling and telling me that I got traded, it was kind of just like a reality check on a lot of emotions that went through my mind,' the 24-year-old Spence told The Guardian in a phone interview on June 28. 'But, at the same time, I found myself (knowing) that it could happen after the season. So once that happened it was unfortunate, but, at the same time, I am really excited to be able to play in Ottawa now.' Article content Article content The five-foot-11, 192-pound Spence, from Cornwall, P.E.I., spent parts of the last four seasons with the Kings, who drafted the defenceman in the fourth round, 95th overall, in 2019. Article content Article content Spence became a regular in Los Angeles two years ago, recording 24 points in 71 regular-season games during the 2023-24 campaign and 28 points in 79 regular-season games this past season. Article content 'The past couple of years, I think I've showcased well, during the season to be able to play as a two-way defenceman,' said Spence. 'I've played power play and unfortunately, I did not really get to play penalty kill. Article content 'I just want to be the type of defenceman that can be relied on in all situations. That's my end goal, to be honest, and if I play my game, if I do well and, just really stick to what I can do on the ice, I think I can fit really well into their system and into their team.' Article content Article content Article content ADVANTAGES Article content Article content Article content Spence, although disappointed to be leaving Los Angeles, said there are advantages to the trade. Article content One is geographically as Ottawa is considerably closer to P.E.I. Spence joked he will now be back living through good old-fashioned Canadian winters after living in California. Article content 'At the end of the day, I'm still really excited to be going to Ottawa and having that opportunity to maybe play a bigger role,' said Spence, who was born in Australia. 'I just want to come to camp ready. I just want to have a big summer, work on the things that I have to work on, and then, just be ready to have a big season.'
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Senators acquire defenceman Jordan Spence from Kings in exchange for picks
OTTAWA - The Ottawa Senators acquired defenceman Jordan Spence from the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. In exchange, the Senators are sending a 2025 third-round selection (67th overall) and a 2026 sixth-round selection (via Colorado). Spence had 28 points (four goals, 24 assists) with a plus-23 rating in 79 regular-season games for the Kings in 2024-25. The 24-year-old is entering the final year of a two-year contract he signed with Los Angeles last summer, with an annual average value of US$1.5 million. Spence was a fourth-round selection (95th overall) by Los Angeles in the 2019 NHL Draft. The five-foot-11, 180-pound blueliner has 61 points (eight goals, 53 assists) in 180 career games. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 28, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Senators acquire defenceman Jordan Spence from Kings in exchange for picks
OTTAWA – The Ottawa Senators acquired defenceman Jordan Spence from the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. In exchange, the Senators are sending a 2025 third-round selection (67th overall) and a 2026 sixth-round selection (via Colorado). Spence had 28 points (four goals, 24 assists) with a plus-23 rating in 79 regular-season games for the Kings in 2024-25. The 24-year-old is entering the final year of a two-year contract he signed with Los Angeles last summer, with an annual average value of US$1.5 million. Spence was a fourth-round selection (95th overall) by Los Angeles in the 2019 NHL Draft. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. The five-foot-11, 180-pound blueliner has 61 points (eight goals, 53 assists) in 180 career games. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 28, 2025.
