The Ottawa Senators have made a significant move to bolster their defensive corps, acquiring right-shot defenseman Jordan Spence from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick (67th overall) and a 2026 sixth-round pick. The trade, announced Saturday, June 28, 2025, marks a proactive step by Senators' President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Steve Staios to strengthen the team's blue line.
Spence, 24, is coming off a career-best season with the Kings, where he recorded four goals and 24 assists for a total of 28 points in 79 regular-season games. He also contributed one goal in five Stanley Cup Playoff games. His plus-23 rating and average ice time of 16:47 per game underscore his reliability and effectiveness on both ends of the ice. Throughout his NHL career, spanning 180 games, Spence has accumulated eight goals and 53 assists.
Selected by the Kings in the fourth round (95th overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft, Spence has one year remaining on his two-year, $3 million contract with an average annual value of $1.5 million. He is set to become a restricted free agent (RFA) on July 1, 2026.
According to reports, Spence is expected to embrace this change, as his role with the Kings had diminished last season. It is speculated that he may fill the void left by veteran defenseman Nick Jensen, who is recovering from hip surgery and has no definite return timeline.
Spence himself expressed enthusiasm about the trade, stating, "I'm excited for a new opportunity and the next season". He described himself as a hardworking, competitive, two-way player who prioritizes responsibility in all zones.
Beyond the acquisition of Spence, the Senators also utilized their first-round pick (23rd overall) in the recent NHL Entry Draft to select American defenseman Logan Hensler.
The Kings, on the other hand, subsequently traded the 67th overall pick they obtained from Ottawa to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for the 125th overall pick in 2025 and a third-round pick in 2026.
Jordan Spence was born in Manly, Australia, but he honed his hockey skills in Canada, playing three seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the Moncton Wildcats and Val-d'Or Foreurs. During the 2019-20 season with the Wildcats, he was recognized as the QMJHL's Defenseman of the Year, receiving the Emile Bouchard Trophy after posting 52 points (nine goals, 43 assists) in 60 games. He had also won the Raymond Lagace Trophy as the QMJHL's Defensive Rookie of the Year the previous season.
With the Senators making a playoff appearance for the first time since 2017 last season, the addition of Spence is expected to further solidify their defensive structure.
