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OHL Erie Otters

Hockey Canada Names Malcolm Spence to Hlinka Gretzky Cup Roster

July 12, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


Erie, Pennsylvania - The opportunity to pursue and defend Canada's gold medal will be one allotted to Erie Otters' forward Malcolm Spence this summer after being invited to participate in the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

The Hlinka Gretzky Cup is a premier international hockey tournament featuring the best under-18 players in the world. Held since 1991, Canada has earned the gold 23 total times - most recently in 2022 with a championship round victory over Sweden.

Twenty-four total players - including 12 from the Ontario Hockey League - were selected to Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team, looking to defend the country's gold medal during the international tournament July 31 to August 5 in Trencin, Slovakia and Breclav, Czechia. Rosters for the event were selected by a team led by Hockey Canada Director of Player Personnel Alan Millar.

"We are excited to unveil this group of accomplished athletes that have earned the opportunity to represent Canada and defend our gold medal at this year's Hlinka Gretzky Cup." said Millar, "Earning a spot to represent your country is an exciting opportunity, and we know each athlete will embrace the opportunity to wear the Maple Leaf in Slovakia and Czechia later this month."

In his rookie season in the OHL, Malcolm Spence would play in 64 games for the Erie Otters. The first-career point for Spence would be scored via an assist in his OHL debut, and he'd score his first-career goal in his third game at Ottawa. From there, Spence would have a tremendous rookie campaign - 42 total points (16G+26A), tied among all rookies with four game-winning goals, and scoring goals five-on-five, five-on-four, and shorthanded. Spence's final game of his first season would be a perfect representation of his continue growth - a two point night (1G+1A) with a +2.

No stranger to the opportunity to represent his country, Spence was previously part of the Team Canada Black roster for Hockey Canada in the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. Spence is among 20 players that suited up for Team Canada Black, Team Canada Red and Team Canada White at the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

"I'm honored to be representing Canada for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup" said Spence, "I think I can speak for the players that have been selected that we will do our part to get gold."

Otters' General Manager Dave Brown spoke highly of the opportunity for the former #2 overall pick, and in representing the organization.

"As an organization, we are so excited and proud of Malcolm. This is the culmination of years of hard work and perseverance." said Brown, "Playing for Team Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky is a great learning experience, and it will no doubt elevate his game upon returning to Erie. This is one of the most difficult teams to make, and Malcolm has no doubt earned this honor."

Canada will open the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup against Finland on July 31 at 9:30 A.M. est. It will also face co-host Slovakia and Switzerland in the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with the medal games on August 5. Canada has won 23 gold medals in 31 years of summer under-18 competition, along with three silver medals and one bronze.

Spence will be the latest among his Otters teammates to suit up in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Erie's Carey Terrance (USA) and Ondrej Molnar (Slovakia) battled in the international tournament in 2022.

The Otters congratulate Malcolm on the honor, and look forward to him proudly representing himself and the organization later this month.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from July 12, 2023


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