Sports stats



OHL Erie Otters

Malcolm Spence Named by Hockey Canada to World Under-17 Hockey Challenge Roster

October 18, 2022 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


Erie Otters forward Malcolm Spence
Erie Otters forward Malcolm Spence
(Erie Otters)

Erie, Pennsylvania - First career multi-goal game, first career game-winning goal, first First Star honors - it's already been a week of firsts for Erie Otters' Rookie Forward Malcolm Spence. With Hockey Canada announcing the Rosters for the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, Spence earns his first opportunity to represent his country in international play.

Spence, alongside Otters' Goaltender Jacob Gibbons, were invited to Canada's National Under-17 Development Camp in July of this year alongside 40 other Ontario Hockey League players. Of the 100 total invited players, Spence is one of just 25 OHL players selected to represent Canada.

In the first seven games of his Ontario Hockey League career, the #2 Overall Pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection Draft is ranked fourth in Rookie Scoring with six points (3G+3A). In his most recent game, Spence grabbed three points (2G+1A) to give Erie a comeback overtime win on home ice.

Rosters for the event were selected by a team lead by Hockey Canada Director of Player Personnel Alan Millar.

"After a strong camp in Calgary where we introduced 100 young players to the Program of Excellence this summer, we are thrilled to unveil the 66 who will wear the Maple Leaf with our three Canadian teams at this year's World Under-17 Hockey Challenge." said Millar, "We are fortunate to be able to assemble three competitive and skilled teams, and we are confident every player and staff member will represent our country with pride in Langley and Delta next month."

The World Under-17 Hockey Challenge is the first step in Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence - including three Canadian teams and five international entries in a tournament that showcases of the future stars of the game. Seven teams will compete in this year's tournament: Team Canada Black (which Malcolm Spence will play on, wearing #21), Team Canada Red, Team Canada White, Czechia, Finland, Sweden and the United States. Each team will play six preliminary-round games between November 3 and 11, with the top four teams in the standings advancing to the medal round.

Due to the pandemic, this will be the first running of the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge since 2019. In place of the 'Challenge' last season, Hockey Canada coordinated the one-off Capital City Challenge in Ottawa, ON. Carey Terrance represented the Erie Otters at the event for Team Canada White, earning a Bronze Medal in the tournament.

"Since this event began in 1986, more than 1,600 National Hockey League draft picks have played in the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge," said Breanne Ferris, manager of events and properties for Hockey Canada. "We cannot wait to celebrate the tournament's return with the great hockey fans in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley and watch the top young players in the world compete for gold this fall."

The opportunity for Malcolm Spence is one that the Forward has dreamed of for a long time.

"I'm just humbled and honored to be representing the Otters at the Under-17 Hockey Challenge." said Spence, "There's a lot of guys across Canada, and I'm excited that I was chosen to wear the Leaf."

Otters' General Manager Dave Brown spoke highly of the opportunity for the Rookie, and in representing the organization.

"The Otters organization is elated for Malcolm. The honor of playing for your country and being a member of Hockey Canada's National Program is exciting. Malcolm joins an elite group of Otters alumni who have enjoyed this experience and represented the Otters well at the international level." said Brown, "We wish Malcolm the utmost success as a member of Hockey Canada U17 program."

The Otters congratulate Malcolm on the honor, and look forward to him proudly representing himself and the organization in November.

Check out the Erie Otters Statistics




Images from this story

Erie Otters forward Malcolm Spence
Erie Otters forward Malcolm Spence
   



Ontario Hockey League Stories from October 18, 2022


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central