He was ranked 17th on NHL Central Scouting’s final list of North American skaters, but 17 of the skaters ranked after him were selected before him in the draft.
“I think there were some expectations that were set for myself and obviously I went a little later than I thought I was going to go,” Spence said. “For me, that’s just going to be more motivation. I’m really happy that I’m the Rangers’ first pick. To me, that shows they really believe in me. To go to an organization like that and play in front of that fanbase in that city, it’s something cool. I’m just really excited.”
While Schaefer will be on the other side of the New York hockey rivalry, Spence is joining another Erie teammate, forward Carey Terrance, with the Rangers.
Spence and Terrance played on the same line in Erie the past two seasons. Spence had 73 points (32 goals, 41 assists) in 65 games this season. Terrance, 20, who went to the Anaheim Ducks with the 59th pick of the 2023 NHL Draft, had 39 points (20 goals, 19 assists) in 45 games.
New York acquired Terrance on June 12 in the trade that sent longtime Rangers forward Chris Kreider to the Ducks.
“That was my first thought when I put the jersey on, maybe I’ll get to play with Carey again, which is pretty cool,” Spence said. “Definitely will give him a call after this.”
Spence has a long road through Ann Arbor to get to the NHL, but he does at least have a taste of New York City.
His sister, Camille, a dancer and actress, recently graduated from Pace University, which has a campus in downtown Manhattan, a subway ride from Madison Square Garden.
