David Clarkson

David Clarkson (born March 31, 1984) is a Canadian ice hockey forward who currently plays for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League. Clarkson won a Memorial Cup in 2003 with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League.

Playing career
Following a successful junior career, the undrafted winger was signed as a free agent by the New Jersey Devils in August 2005. He was assigned to the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League in September 2005. He would go on to play the majority of the 2006–2007 season with the Devils new farm team, the Lowell Devils, before being a late season call-up to New Jersey. David's younger brother, Doug, played for the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League.

Clarkson played his first game on March 15, 2007 at Carolina. Two days later, Clarkson scored his first NHL goal with the New Jersey Devils and recorded his first assist in a 7–2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, only his second NHL game. He would go to finish the season with New Jersey, including 3 playoff games, and start the next season in the NHL.

Clarkson played in the "Young stars game" in Atlanta during the 56th NHL All-Star Game SuperSkills Competition, scoring 1 goal and 2 assists. He was the lone Devils representative at the festivities, as Martin Brodeur (who was voted in) did not participate. He was the second consecutive Devil to make an impact at this event, as Zach Parise took part the previous year.

Clarkson ranked 7th in the NHL in penalty minutes (183) during the 2007–08 season. His knack for fighting and precise checking combined with his speed and aggression has made him popular with fans in New Jersey. After the Devils signed Brendan Shanahan midway through the 2008–09 NHL season, Devils broadcasters Doc Emrick and Glenn Resch were amused by a photograph of an extremely young Clarkson at Shanahan's hockey camp. In Shanahan's first game back with the Devils, the two played on the checking line together.

Personal Life
On March 4, 2011 David and his wife Brittany welcomed daughter McKinnley.

Transactions

 * August 12, 2005 - Signed by the New Jersey Devils as a free agent.
 * July 1, 2008 - Re-signed by the New Jersey Devils for two years at $800,000 per year.
 * June 30, 2010 - Re-signed by the New Jersey Devils for three years for $2 million the first year and $3 million for the second and third year, with a total cap hit of $2.6 million.