Friendships put on hold when CHL takes on U.S. at Prospects Challenge
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Michael Misa, Malcolm Spence, and Will Moore are putting their friendship aside when they compete at the CHL USA Prospects Challenge beginning on Tuesday.
The three players played three years of minor hockey together with the Greater Toronto Hockey League’s Mississauga Senators, culminating with an OHL Cup victory in 2022.
After that, Misa and Spence began their Ontario Hockey League careers while Moore spent one more season with the GTHL’s Toronto Marlboros before joining the United States National Development Program for the 2023-24 season.
But, despite being separated by the OHL Draft and the U.S. Development system, Misa, Spence, and Moore do everything they can to remain close to this day.
“I train with both those guys in the summer,” said Spence. “I see Michael a lot more, especially playing against Saginaw four times a year [but] Will has done a good job keeping in touch with the two of us. Then in the off-season, we see each other either by training, golf, or just hanging out as boys.”
“I’ve known them both for a while and they’re both great guys on and off the ice,” said Misa. “I stay with both of them during the summer, we stay close and golf together. It’s a good relationship and I’m happy they’re both doing well this year.”
Misa, Moore, and Spence have not shared the ice together in a sanctioned hockey game since the 2021-22 season. Misa and Spence have both represented Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in 2023 and Spence factored in for Canada’s gold medal victory at the Under-18 World Championship in April. However, the three player’s international schedules have never matched up.
Game 1 of the CHL USA Prospects Challenge on Tuesday will mark the first time Moore will be Misa and Spence’s opponent while he’s representing Team USA.
“I’m very excited but I’d say I’m super competitive more than anything,” said Moore. “They’re both very talented players and we love to compete with each other. It’s been that way our entire lives and I think these games will get the most out of us. There will be lots of bragging rights on the line.”
“It’s going to be fun; I’ve never played against him or the United States at all,” said Misa. “That team plays together all year, so we definitely have to find chemistry quick in order to play against them.”
The business of rising through the hockey ranks can be an awkward experience for players. Long-time friends and teammates players have had for years can suddenly become opponents due to the nature of the game.
While it was an adjustment, Spence understands the nature of the game and how the process can help him grow as a player and a person.
“It can be a sucky part of the game, but it is what it is,” said Spence. “The first time [against Misa] was definitely weird, but it’s a part of the game. It’ll probably be weird in warmup [against Moore] because I haven’t seen him in a while and I’m suddenly playing against him.
“Everyone’s path is different and one day you can have friends on the team and the next they can be off it. It was an adjustment at first but after three years of major junior I’ve gotten used to playing against Michael and not being around Will.”
Misa, Spence and Moore are all projected to be lottery picks at the 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles. Misa is ranked No. 3 on TSN’s Director of Scouting Craig Button’s November draft list while TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie lists him at No. 7 in his preseason rankings.
Spence is ranked at No. 8 by McKenzie and No. 10 by Button, while Moore was placed at No. 11 by McKenzie and No. 15 by Button.
Since the season began, Misa is off to an historic offensive pace with 23 goals and 46 points in 23 games with Saginaw while Spence has come out strong with 11 goals and 29 points in 23 games in Erie.
Moore leads the United States’ U18 team with eight goals and 17 points in 22 games against various college teams and international squads this season. He also has two assists in five games early in the United States Hockey League season.
Despite their paths not being the same, the three players are keeping tabs on each other and still provide support for one another in their draft season.
“We’re close, we train together and have been close for about eight or nine years,” said Moore. “We trained with Jack Ivankovic and Porter Martone [of the Brampton Steelheads] also in the summer and it’s a very competitive atmosphere. We just try to push each other throughout the summer.”
“It’s a cool process,” said Spence. “It’s nice in the off-season when we can put things away and just talk as friends but it’s more people who are going through the same things as you. It’s nice to see one of your close buddies achieving great things.”
For Moore, winning the OHL Cup with Misa and Spence has been the highlight of his young hockey career. However, he wants to experience the highs of winning with his new teammates even if it is at the expense of his old friends.
“The original championship was one of the best moments, if not the best, of my life,” said Moore. “We left it all out there, it was an amazing win and I’d never been happier up until that point. Hopefully I can bring that happiness to my team instead of their team even though I’ve shared those experience with some of those guys. I think it would be incredible for my team to feel that happiness too.”