2023-08-07 00:58:10
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Brandt Clarke has only one goal this season.
“I want to be a full-time Kings player,” he said during the Los Angeles Kings development camp last month.
Everything is in place for the 20-year-old defenseman to achieve his goal, he who was drafted by the Kings eighth overall in 2021. He set the table with a collection of two assists during a nine-game stint with Los Angeles in beginning of the last season, and now the Kings have a few vacancies after making changes during the offseason.
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After his NHL debut, Clarke went on to score a goal and an assist in five games with the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League before being sent to the Barrie Colts of the Hockey League. Ontario (OHL), where he ranked fifth among OHL defensemen with 61 points (23 goals, 38 assists) in 31 games.
He should play on the Kings’ third defensive line this season and he could also see action on the second wave of the power play, which will allow him to exploit his offensive instincts.
“I got a taste of the NHL last year,” he said. I went through the routine with the players here and I felt comfortable. This is where I want to be. »
Los Angeles wanted Clarke (6-foot-2, 185 pounds) to dominate his senior season in the junior ranks, and he responded by averaging nearly two points per game in the regular season. He added 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists) in 12 OHL playoff games, seventh among all players on the league.
Clarke also helped Canada win gold at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship with eight points (two goals, six assists) in seven games, tied for third among defensemen in the tournament.
“I wanted to carry that level of play from the pros to the junior ranks and I consider that I succeeded,” he explained. Every night I had the determination to be at my best. I never took an evening off. That’s how it should be in the pros, and I think I set an example for a lot of players in the Barrie locker room. »
The Kings are counting on Clarke to make a smooth transition to the NHL. They traded defenseman Sean Walker to the Philadelphia Flyers in a three-team trade also involving the Columbus Blue Jackets on June 6 and defenseman Sean Durzi to the Arizona Coyotes on June 24.
Sean O’Donnell, who works in Los Angeles’ player development department, expects Clarke to quickly figure out when he can get creative with the puck.
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“You don’t hit a home run every time you play in the NHL,” said O’Donnell, who played 17 seasons as a defenseman in the NHL between 1994 and 2012. “You can do it in the junior ranks and sometimes even in the minors, but the guys are so good here that you have to choose your moments. You shouldn’t try to create something from scratch when the opportunity doesn’t present itself. »
Clarke’s learning curve might resemble that of Drew Doughty early in his career.
“These players need a bit of time to learn,” added O’Donnell. “This game didn’t work, you can’t do it again.” But he’ll try something if he thinks it’s the right game.
“Drew Doughty was like that, and I’m not comparing the two players, but Drew was going to try something and he wasn’t going to change his approach because it was the end of the game or the stakes were high. If he thinks it’s the right game to play and worth playing, he’ll do it.
“Is this still the right game? No, but it’s nice to see such players. »
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