David Spacek

Born in Columbus while his father was playing in the NHL, David Špaček developed his early hockey in the Czech Republic before moving to North America to continue his progression. The change of environment pushed him into a faster, more physical style of play and offered exposure in one of Canada’s major junior circuits.

Špaček spent two seasons with the Sherbrooke Phoenix in the QMJHL. In 2021–22 he posted 12 goals and 38 assists in 57 games, a season that earned him the Raymond Lagacé Trophy. He followed that with a 2022–23 campaign of 13 goals and 44 assists in 58 games, underscoring a steady offensive output uncommon for a young defenceman.

Minnesota selected him in the fifth round, 153rd overall, on 8 July 2022 and signed him to a three‑year, entry‑level contract on 6 March 2023. Špaček began his professional career in the organization’s minor leagues: he opened 2023–24 with the Iowa Wild (AHL), was reassigned to the Iowa Heartlanders (ECHL) on 29 November 2023 and recalled on 4 December 2023 after productive play. He finished his first North American professional season with three goals and nine assists in 61 games for the Wild system.

Internationally he has represented the Czech Republic at World Junior tournaments. At the 2022 championship he had one assist in seven games. He returned in 2023 and recorded three goals and five assists in seven games, helped the team to a silver medal, tied for third among defencemen in tournament scoring and averaged 19:46 of ice time per game. On 3 May 2024 he was named to the Czech roster for the IIHF World Championship, where he provided five assists in ten games and won a gold medal.

Špaček’s game centres on creating offence from the blue line: he shows playmaking vision, the ability to jump into the attack and to log significant minutes in high‑pressure international settings, blending transitional skill with an instinct for generating scoring chances.