BUFFALO — Malcolm Spence is all about hockey, but on Thursday evening, he’s got other plans.
Watching the NBA Finals.
“I love watching the NBA,” the 18-year-old forward said. “My favourite athlete besides Sidney Crosby is LeBron James. I love watching, and keeping up with that.”
Spence - ranked No. 17 among North American skaters ahead of this year’s NHL Draft - arrived in Buffalo for the NHL Combine this week after spending his OHL career just down the road in Erie, Penn. With the Otters, he served as alternate captain for each of the past two seasons, finishing the 2024-25 campaign with a career-best 32 goals and 73 points.
Scouts had a keen eye on Erie this season - top-ranked defenceman Matthew Schaefer is an Otter - but for Spence, the extra eyeballs only steeled his focus to perform, night in, night out.
“We definitely got our fair share of looks,” he said. “For us, obviously, it was a fun time. Pressure makes diamonds, that’s kinda what we say, and pressure’s a privilege.
“For us, (we) were just out there doing our thing, I think we learned that as the year (went) on.”
Erie progressed to the second round of the OHL playoffs this spring, a run that included an upset win over Zayne Parekh and the Saginaw Spirit in Round 1.
But over the course of the season, Spence says he focused a lot on growing the defensive side of his game.
A side that includes a bit of bite.
“I think I really found my identity down the stretch in terms of playing that harder style, but still being able to contribute offensively,” he said. “I make a lot of plays, but I’m definitely going to finish my checks hard. That’s something I’ve been working on, especially this year.
“I’ve had the defensive aspect, but just being a little tougher to play against. It’s something I thought progressed through my draft season, through the end of the year, I thought it was some of my strongest hockey.”
Here in Buffalo, he’s especially keen on proving his mettle during the rigourous fitness testing portion of the week.
The sessions offer him a chance to showcase not only his strength, but his potential - as Spence and the other Combine invitees are put through the paces in 11 separate tests including the infamous Wingate Cycle Ergometer Test.
“You train for the last month, obviously I’m going to showcase myself, the speed and power that I’ve got,” said Spence. “I’m excited to probably turn some heads here. It’d be a huge goal of mine to do well, for me, I just want to do my best.”
That speed and power - and the desire to grow bigger, faster, and stronger - factored into Spence’s recent decision, too, to commit to the University of Michigan for next season.
Like several of his peers, Spence is taking advantage of the new relationship between the Canadian Hockey League and the NCAA, and he says the decision to head to Ann Arbor was an easy one.
“I looked up the stat the other day, and I think it speaks for itself, they have the most NHLers out of any college program,” he said. “To be the best, you’ve got to work with the best, and train under their best.
“Their program has had a lot of success built into the foundation, for me, it was a no-brainer to end up heading there.”
But in addition to that prestige, Spence’s commitment to the Wolverines will also bring him together with a couple of old friends.
Flames prospect Henry Mews - a third round pick in 2024 - is headed to Michigan this fall, as is Michael Hage, a first-round selection by the Canadiens a season ago.
“We’ve kinda grown up together,” explained Spence. “I’ve always played the two of them, it’s going to be nice to be on the same team with them.
“We definitely have a really talented, skilled group, so we’re excited.”
But first, hoops.
Oklahoma City and Indiana tip off their best-of-seven set Thursday night, and Spence has his sights set on being glued to all of the action.
No LeBron James, but in his stead, Spence has a rooting interest for the Thunder.
“Hopefully SGA (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) can get the win for Canada here,” Spence said with a smile.
“It’s great to see another Canadian (in the NBA Finals).”
