SENSNEWS

The NHL offseason has been headlined by some massive trades involving star players. But the most interesting for Senators fans has to be Jordan Spence.

Most notably, people will think of the Noah Dobson trade to Montreal or the Mitch Marner sign-and-trade with the Vegas Golden Knights.

Sprinkle in some other solid veteran trades and free-agent signings, and the Ottawa Senators’ trade for Jordan Spence was pushed to the back burner by the general media.

Jordan Spence Traded To The Ottawa Senators

On day two of the NHL Draft, the Ottawa Senators traded two draft picks to the LA Kings in exchange for the young defenceman.

Pick number 67 in the 2025 NHL Draft and a sixth-round pick in 2026, both headed to California.

The Ottawa Senators acquired a defenceman in need of a change of scenery.

Although the LA Kings tried to keep things quiet, it has been reported that Spence requested a trade to an organization where he’d have a greater opportunity to showcase his talent.

Now, usually when a trade involves a player who needs a change of scenery, it’s because that player is struggling to produce results.

But with Spence, that wasn’t the case. He was playing exceptionally well—albeit in limited minutes—with the LA Kings.

Jordan Spence Role In LA

His time on ice per game peaked at a career-high 19:45 during his rookie season.

However, each year afterward saw a significant decline. In years two, three, and four, Spence averaged just 14:00, 14:26, and 16:47 per game, respectively.

He was used primarily as a sheltered bottom-pair defenceman in Los Angeles, largely because he had the likes of Drew Doughty and Brandt Clarke ahead of him on the Kings’ depth chart.

Jordan Spence Statistics

But even in that limited role, Jordan Spence was highly effective.

He scored 24 and 28 points over the past two seasons while also being strong defensively.

Yes, his minutes came against weaker competition, but he proved he was more than capable of handling those assignments and had shown enough to warrant a larger role on the blue line.

Jordan Spence Advanced Analytics

According to RonoHockey, Spence projects to rank in the 84th percentile for offensive output among defencemen.

He also ranks in the 73rd percentile for defensive acumen in a model that accounts for role difficulty—where Spence ranks in just the 9th percentile, underscoring how sheltered his usage has been.

Among LA Kings players last season who logged at least 500 minutes, Spence ranked first in shot share percentage at 56.80%.

He also ranked fourth in expected goals percentage and first in scoring chances for percentage.

He accomplished all this despite the majority of his shifts starting in the neutral zone and the second most in the defensive zone.

In fact, Spence had the third-fewest offensive zone starts on the team at just 46.78%—nearly 10% lower than Drew Doughty and 16% lower than Brandt Clarke.

Why The Senators Targeted Spence

This kind of player pickup screams of a move backed by Sean Tierney from the Senators’ analytics department.

It’s a department that was lacking in Ottawa for years, and a move like this illustrates its importance to building a successful team.

The Senators were notably in the market for a right-shot defenceman to step in for Nick Jensen, in case he’s not ready to start the season following hip surgery.

There still seems to be some belief that Ottawa may want to add another insurance option in that spot.

Senators Defensive Depth Chart

However, following the acquisition of Spence, I feel confident in the Senators’ depth on the right side of the blue line.

Even without Nick Jensen, Ottawa would still have Artem Zub, Jordan Spence, Nikolas Matinpalo, and Carter Yakemchuk.

Those are four players I’d be comfortable seeing in the NHL next season. While Spence remains unproven in a top-four role, I believe he’s good enough to play there.

I’d assume the Senators agree—otherwise, making this trade would put Spence in the same frustrating position he was in with LA.

Let’s not forget that Nick Jensen is expected to return at some point during the season.

When he does, the right side of the blue line could be approaching an embarrassment of riches with Zub, Spence, Matinpalo, Yakemchuk, and Jensen all available.

Where Jordan Spence Fits In

Given how effective the Senators’ top pairings were last season, I’d expect Jordan Spence to start on the right side of Thomas Chabot—again, assuming Jensen isn’t ready for opening night.

On paper, that pairing makes a ton of sense. Both players are strong puck movers, and both have posted excellent advanced stats in their respective roles.

Thomas Chabot can shoulder more of the offensive workload, while Jordan Spence can contribute offensively and also rely on his sound defensive play.

The two could be a nightmare to play against, with no glaring weakness in any area of the ice.

Both are capable of retrieving pucks in their own end and transitioning up to the forwards.

Chabot proved last season that he thrives with a partner who offers those attributes.

So heading into the 2025–26 NHL season, be sure to keep an eye on Jordan Spence.

I have a feeling he’s a key breakout candidate and someone who could quickly become a fan favorite in Ottawa.