EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Expectations have changed in a matter of months Jordan Spence.
The 21-year-old defenseman made his NHL debut March 10 for the Los Angeles Kings against the San Jose Sharks and was thrust into the thick of the team’s push for the Stanley Cup Playoffs after injuries to Drew Doughty, Mikey Anderson, Matt Roy, Alexander Edler and Tobias Bjornfot opened up a spot on the blue line.
“It was a lot to process,” Spence said. “It was a big year for me, you know, playing in the [American Hockey League with Ontario] and getting called up. So for me kind of just taking it back and kind of realizing all the games that I played, it’s good for me to kind of have that taste in the NHL and what to expect for the upcoming season and try and make the lineup hopefully for this. upcoming season and do the best I can in the offseason to do that.”
Selected in the fourth round (No. 95) of the 2019 NHL Draft, he had eight points (two goals, six assists) in 24 regular-season games and played in the first three games of the Western Conference First Round against the Edmonton Oilers. .
Spence’s growing role within the organization was even more evident as Kings coach Todd McLellan included him in a pre-development camp meeting with Bjornfot and forwards. Quinton Byfield and Arthur Kaliyev. Spence said McLellan wanted the group to “just lead by example” and “show them what to do and what to expect.”
A talented offensive player with strong puck movement skills, Spence (5-foot-10, 180 pounds) came into those workouts after focusing on adding size during the offseason to become a more effective defender.
“Just for me, I know my strengths and my weakness so I just want to get bigger and kind of do the things I can that I can control,” he said.
But playmaking prowess can override some deficiencies on defense, as Spence was reminded of when watching defenseman Cale Makar win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Cup-winning Colorado Avalanche.
“I think everyone loves watching Makar play, and for me as an undersized defenseman — he’s only 5-11 — but it’s good to see him making such a big impact on the Avalanche,” Spence said.
With everything he’s experienced the past few months, Spence is now ready to challenge for playing time next season. And there may be an opening.
Los Angeles opted not to bring back veteran defensemen Olli Maattawho signed with the Detroit Red Wings, and Troy Stecher, who signed with the Arizona Coyotes, leaving room on the third pair alongside Edler. There may also be an opening if the Kings want to be cautious with the workload for Doughty, who played in an NHL career-low 39 games due to knee and wrist injuries, and Walker, who tore the ACL and MCL in his right knee. a game against the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 25.
But it won’t be an easy road to a full-time roster spot. He will be up against Bjornfot, a first-round pick (No. 22) in the 2019 draft who had eight assists in 70 games last season but did not play in the seven-game loss to Edmonton; Sean Durzi, selected in the second round (No. 52) of the 2018 NHL Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs and who had 27 points (three goals, 24 assists) in 64 regular-season games as a rookie for the Kings last season; and Brandt Clarke, the No. 8 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.
That won’t deter the Australian-born defenseman. After Los Angeles reached the playoffs last season for the first time since 2018, he is focused on sticking around as the Kings push to become postseason regulars again.
“I think when I just got called up it was around March, so we were trying to make the playoffs,” Spence said. “So it was every game was important, and as the playoffs went on, it’s another level. There’s more compete. There’s a lot of guys [who] have more speed, have more intensity in their game. So for me it’s good to experience that so I can be ready for the next playoffs.”
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