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Brandt Clarke
Born (2003-02-09)February 9, 2003,
Nepean, Ontario, Canada
Height
Weight
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Right
NHL team
F. teams
Los Angeles Kings
HC Nové Zámky
NHL Draft 8th overall, 2021
Los Angeles Kings
Playing career 2020–present


Brandt Clarke (born February 9, 2003) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted eighth overall by the Kings in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. In November 2021, Brandt was named Captain of the Barrie Colts for the 2021–22 OHL season, becoming the 22nd captain in Colts history.[1]

Playing career[]

On April 6, 2019 and marking the end of his minor hockey career, Clarke was drafted in the first round, fourth overall in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection to play major junior hockey with the Barrie Colts.[2] Playing as a rookie for the Barrie Colts in what turned out to be the COVID-19-shortened 2019–20 season, Clarke led all rookie OHL defensemen, scoring six goals and 32 assists and he was considered a lock to go in the first round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.[3] At the conclusion of the 2019–20 season, Clarke was named to the OHL First All-Rookie Team, as selected by the OHL's General Managers.[4]

In the following season (2020–21) when the entire OHL regular season was cancelled due to COVID-19, Clarke was able to continue his development by playing professional men's hockey in Slovakia, on loan to HC Nové Zámky of the Tipsport Liga, scoring five goals with ten assists while playing a partial season of only 26 games.[5][6][7]

On July 23, 2021, Clarke was selected in the first-round, eighth overall, by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.[8] Clarke was soon signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Kings on August 10, 2021.[9][10][11] Clarke made his NHL regular-season debut for the Los Angeles Kings in a home game against the Seattle Kraken on October 13, 2022.[12] Clarke collected his first career NHL point, an assist, during a road game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 20, 2022, making Clarke the 7th youngest defenceman and 18th youngest player in Kings history to record a point.[13]

Clarke is a high-quality defensive player with excellent defensive stick control and tactical positioning; however, he is a new-era defenseman best known for his offensive capabilities and his eagerness and creativity while breaking out of the defensive zone and while participating actively in the offensive zone.[14][15][16][17]

International play[]

Medal record
Competitor for Flag of Canada Canada
Ice hockey
World U18 Championships
Gold 2021 Canada

Clarke won Gold playing for Team Canada in the 2021 IIHF World U18 Championships, averaging a point-per-game.[18] The tournament was held in Frisco, Texas, USA from April 26, 2021 to May 6, 2021. Clarke was named to the tournament All-Star team, as selected by the media.[19][20]

Clarke was selected to participate in Hockey Canada's National Junior Team Summer Camp (held in Calgary, Alberta from July 23-27, 2022) for the 2022-23 National Junior Team that will participate in the 2023 IIHF World Junior U20 Championship to be held in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada from December 26, 2022 to January 5, 2023.[21][22]

Personal life[]

Clarke is the younger brother of New Jersey Devils prospect Graeme Clarke.[23][24] Clarke's father, Chris Clarke, played junior hockey in Southern Ontario, Canada.[25]

Career statistics[]

Regular season and playoffs[]

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2018–19 Don Mills Flyers GTHL 33 19 35 54 22
2019–20 Barrie Colts OHL 57 6 32 38 38
2020–21 HC Nové Zámky Slovak 26 5 10 15 41
2021–22 Barrie Colts OHL 55 11 48 59 29
OHL totals 112 17 80 97 67
Slovak totals 26 5 10 15 41

International[]

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2019 Canada Black U17 8th 5 1 5 6 2
2021 Canada U18 Gold medal icon 7 2 5 7 0
Junior totals 12 3 10 13 2

Awards and honours[]

Award Year
OHL
First All-Rookie Team[26] 2020
Most Assists by Rookie[27] 2020
International
U18 All-Star Team[28] 2021
  • OHL Player of the Week (January 24-30, 2022)[29][30]
  • OHL Defenceman of the Month (January 2022)[31][32]
  • OHL Coaches Poll for the 2021-22 Regular Season: 1st in East for "Best Offensive Defenceman"; Tied for 1st in East for "Smartest Player"; and 3rd in East for "Best Stickhandler".[33]
  • 2021-22 Red Tilson Trophy Nominee for the OHL's Most Outstanding Player.[34]
  • OHL Second All-Star Team for 2021-22.[35]

References[]

  1. Inside the OHL: Brandt Clarke (with a C) leads the Colts and breaks the ice with the Kings. Toronto Star (20 November 2021).
  2. 2019 OHL Priority Selection First Round Recap. Ontario Hockey League (6 April 2019).
  3. A way-too-early look at the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Broad Street Hockey (8 October 2020).
  4. 2019-20 OHL All-Rookie Teams. Ontario Hockey League (27 May 2020).
  5. Canucks: Is there a case for an offensive defenceman with ninth-overall draft pick?. The Province, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. (22 July 2021).
  6. The Internet Hockey Database - Brandt Clarke. HockeyDB.com.
  7. Prospect of Interest: Why a lost OHL season made Brandt Clarke even better. Sportsnet, a division of Rogers Media Inc. (14 July 2021).
  8. LA Kings Select Brandt Clarke 8th Overall in 2021 Draft. Los Angeles Kings (July 23, 2021).
  9. LA Kings sign defenseman Brandt Clarke to three-year contract. Los Angeles Kings (August 11, 2021).
  10. What the LA Kings are Getting in Brandt Clarke. The Hockey News, a division of Roustan Media Ltd. (11 August 2021).
  11. CapFriendly.com - Brandt Clarke. CapFriendly.com.
  12. CHL to NHL: Clarke, Johnston play first NHL game. Canadian Hockey League (CHL) (October 14, 2022).
  13. FINAL – Kings 1, Penguins 6 – Kopitar, McLellan. LA Kings Insider, owned and/or operated by or on behalf of Anschutz Entertainment Group (20 October 2022).
  14. Inside the OHL: Brandt Clarke (with a C) leads the Colts and breaks the ice with the Kings. Toronto Star (20 November 2021).
  15. 2021 NHL Draft Top Prospect Brandt Clarke Could Be the Next Erik Karlsson. Last Word on Sports (LWOS) (30 January 2021).
  16. 2021 NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Brandt Clarke the next big Blue Jackets D-man?. SB Nation - The Cannon - Vox Media, LLC (1 July 2021).
  17. Los Angeles Kings’ Top 10 Prospects – January 2022. The Hockey Writers, owned and operated by Bruce K. Hollingdrake (6 January 2022).
  18. Kings stay put in NHL draft and land defenseman Brandt Clarke with eighth pick. LA Times (23 July 2021).
  19. Brandt Clarke Hockey Canada U18 Championship Ring Ceremony. Barrie Colts (19 November 2021).
  20. IIHF U-18 History - Media All-Star Teams. Hockey Canada.
  21. Rosters Named for Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team Selection Camp and Canada's National Junior Team Summer Camp. Hockey Canada (16 June 2022).
  22. National Junior Team Summer Camp Roster. Hockey Canada.
  23. Colts' Brandt Clarke Picked By LA Kings In Opening Round of NHL Draft. Barrie 360 (24 July 2021).
  24. Rookie Brandt Clarke Credits Older Brother Graeme For On-Ice Success. National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) (27 October 2022).
  25. OH, BROTHER: Local teens take search of competitive hockey to Slovakia. Ottawa Sun, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. (23 January 2021).
  26. Awards - OHL First All-Rookie Team. Elite Prospects.
  27. Awards - OHL Most Assists by Rookie. Elite Prospects.
  28. Awards - U18 WJC All-Star Team. Elite Prospects.
  29. Brandt Clarke Named OHL Player of The Week. The Barrie Colts (31 January 2022).
  30. Colts’ Brandt Clarke Named OHL Player of the Week. Ontario Hockey League (31 January 2022).
  31. Guzda, Clarke tapped for monthly OHL honours at their positions. BarrieToday.com (1 February 2022).
  32. OHL Top Performers of the Month for January. Ontario Hockey League (1 February 2022).
  33. 2021-22 OHL Coaches Poll Winners. Ontario Hockey League (21 April 2022).
  34. OHL Announces 2021-22 Red Tilson Trophy Nominees. Ontario Hockey League (25 April 2022).
  35. OHL Announces 2021-22 All-Star and All-Rookie Teams. Ontario Hockey League (21 June 2022).

External links[]

Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Quinton Byfield
Los Angeles Kings first round draft pick
2021
Succeeded by
Incumbent
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