Michigan gets commitment from projected NHL first-round pick

Michigan’s hockey program has received a commitment from one of the top prospects in the upcoming 2025 NHL draft.

Forward Malcolm Spence, who has played the last three seasons with the Erie Otters in the Ontario Hockey League, announced his decision on social media Monday.

The 6-foot-1, 203-pound winger is the second Canadian major junior player to verbally pledge to the Wolverines this offseason, joining Henry Mews, a 2024 third-round pick of the Calgary Flames who finished third among OHL defensemen in scoring this season with 82 points.

Michigan is taking advantage of the NCAA rule passed last November allowing Canadian Hockey League players to play Division I college hockey beginning next season. Previously, players lost NCAA eligibility if they played in one CHL game because they were considered professionals under the governing body of college athletics’ amateurism rules.

Spence is the No. 17 overall North American Skater in NHL.com’s latest 2025 draft prospect rankings and is projected to go No. 24 overall to the Philadelphia Flyers in Scott Wheeler’s latest mock draft for The Athletic.

“The Flyers take one of the hardest-working players in the draft in Spence, who fits their identity and projects as an up-and-down-the-lineup, honest, pro-style top-nine winger,” Wheeler wrote.

The Wolverines are in need of adding more scoring and grit to their lineup after missing the NCAA Tournament last season for the first time since 2019 and losing five of their top eight scorers. Spence fits the bill and is coming off a 73-point season in 65 games for the Otters.

He scored 32 goals after registering 19 in 66 games in 2023-24. In three seasons for Erie, Spence tallied 67 goals and 177 points in 195 games.

Michigan is expected to add more CHL players before next season. The 2025 NHL draft is June 27-28.