Jordan Spence (ice hockey)

Jordan Spence
Spence with the Los Angeles Kings in 2023
Born	(2001-02-24) February 24, 2001 (age 24) Sydney, Australia
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight	179 lb (81 kg; 12 st 11 lb)
Position	Defence
Shoots	Right
NHL team Former teams	Ottawa Senators Los Angeles Kings
NHL draft	95th overall, 2019 Los Angeles Kings
Playing career	2021–present

Jordan Spence (born February 24, 2001) is a Japanese Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). ^[1] He was drafted in the fourth round, 95th overall, in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings.

Playing career

Spence skating in warm-ups on the Los Angeles Kings pride night for the 2021–22 season.

After one season with the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), Spence was drafted in the fourth round, 95th overall, by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. ^[2] He returned to the Wildcats the following year. On June 3, 2020, the Kings signed Spence to a three-year, entry-level contract. ^[3]

Spence joined the Kings' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Ontario Reign to begin the 2021–22 season. He made his NHL debut with the Kings on March 10, 2022 as the first skater with Japanese citizenship to play in the NHL. ^{[4] [5]} On March 26, Spence scored his first career NHL goal in a 4–2 win over the Seattle Kraken. ^[6]

Spence became a full-time member of the Kings in the 2023-24 season, recording 24 points in 71 games. On August 1, 2024, the Kings re-signed Spence to a two-year, $3 million contract with an annual average of $1.5 million. ^[7]

At the 2025 NHL entry draft, Spence was traded by the Kings to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick. ^[8]

Personal life

Spence was born in Manly, New South Wales to a Canadian father, Adam, and a Japanese mother, Kyoko, before moving to Osaka, where he first played baseball, as well as hockey under the tutelage of his father at the age of five, before moving to Cornwall, Prince Edward Island at the age of 13 not knowing any English. ^{[9] [10]} Before his 20th birthday he was a dual citizen of Canada and Japan and is fluent in English, French, and Japanese. ^{[11] [12]}

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2017–18	Summerside Western Capitals	MJAHL		50	13	38	51	16		12	4	13	17	18
2018–19	Moncton Wildcats	QMJHL		68	6	43	49	18		4	1	3	4	0
2019–20	Moncton Wildcats	QMJHL		60	9	43	52	28		—	—	—	—	—
2020–21	Moncton Wildcats	QMJHL		13	5	11	16	14		—	—	—	—	—
2020–21	Val d'Or Foreurs	QMJHL		19	5	19	24	0		15	2	18	20	6
2021–22	Ontario Reign	AHL		46	4	38	42	28		—	—	—	—	—
2021–22	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		24	2	6	8	2		3	0	0	0	0
2022–23	Ontario Reign	AHL		56	4	41	45	34		2	0	1	1	2
2022–23	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		6	0	1	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
2023–24	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		71	2	22	24	12		5	0	1	1	0
2023–24	Ontario Reign	AHL		1	0	0	0	2		—	—	—	—	—
2024–25	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		79	4	24	28	16		5	1	0	1	0
NHL totals				180	8	53	61	30		13	1	1	2	0

Medal record
Representing   Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
	2021 Canada

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2019	Canada	U18	4th		7	1	2	3	0
2021	Canada	WJC			2	1	0	1	0
Junior totals					9	2	2	4	0

Awards and honours

Award	Year
MJAHL
Rookie All-Star Team	2018
Rookie of the Year	2018
QMJHL
Raymond Lagacé Trophy	2019
All-Rookie Team	2019
Rookie of the Year	2019
Emile Bouchard Trophy	2020	[13]
First All-Star Team	2020, 2021
AHL
All-Rookie Team	2022	[14]
First All-Star Team	2022	[15]

References

1. "Jordan Spence at eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com.
2. Yarr, Kevin. "Cornwall's Jordan Spence drafted by LA Kings". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation . Retrieved June 24, 2019.
3. Harris, Jack (June 3, 2020). "Kings sign 2019 draft picks Arthur Kaliyev and Jordan Spence". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved June 3, 2020.
4. Greenspan, Dan. "Hertl helps Sharks defeat Kings in OT, end three-game skid". National Hockey League . Retrieved March 14, 2022.
5. Simmonds, Jason. "Prince Edward Islander makes NHL history". SaltWire Network . Retrieved March 11, 2022.
6. Dooley, Zach. "FINAL – Kings 4, Kraken 2 – Spence, Vilardi, McLellan". LA Kings Insider. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
7. "LA Kings Sign Defenseman Jordan Spence to a Two-Year Contract". Los Angeles Kings (Press release). Retrieved August 1, 2024.
8. Ottawa Senators Communications (June 28, 2025). "Ottawa Senators Acquire Jordan Spence from the Los Angeles Kings".
9. Dillman, Lisa. "Kings prospect Jordan Spence 'will find a way to make an NHL roster'". The Athletic. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
10. "Living the island life". www.hockeycanada.ca. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
11. "Introducing: Jordan Spence". LA Kings Insider. June 22, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
12. "Getting to Know: LA Kings No. 95 Draft Pick Jordan Spence". NHL.com. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
13. "Well-traveled Spence on a mission to excel". American Hockey League. February 21, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
14. "2021-22 AHL All-Rookie Team named". American Hockey League. April 27, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
15. "2021-22 AHL First, Second All-Star Teams unveiled". American Hockey League. April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com , or  Eliteprospects.com , or  The Internet Hockey Database