The more impressive thing about Clarke’s season is he is seemingly doing it all without much help.
Sure he does have Johnsson, who is probably closer to an NHL player than he is an AHL player. His numbers are a bit better than Johnsson’s too so it’s not even like he’s the beneficiary of an elite AHL player or anything like that.
The rest of the comets roster is pretty barren offensively.
Hey, Ben? Have you taken any notice of the assistance he has had when playing with Gambardella? Gamby has been a big help to the kid as has the 2 main centers that have centered them, Stevens and Schmelzer. The Gambardella/Clarke duo with those 2 centers and Hutchison for 4 games very early on have been the most productive line the Comets have had.
Gambardella missed games 3-11 with a medical issue. He struggled early on to get himself back into the flow. Clarke missed game 13. In game 14 Clarke and Gamby were joined together with Hutchison. Clarke and Gambardella started to get used to one another with Gambardella setting up Clarke for 2 goals in the 4 games.
In game 18 Schmelzer moved into the middle and they would figure in on 5 goals in 6 games.
In game 24. Stevens became the man centering Gamby and Clarke. The line hit right away scoring 3 goals in the 1st game they were together.They would stay together until Game 41 in which Stevens would leave with an injury. During the time they were together the line would produce 9 of Clarke's 20 goals. In total Gambardella and the 3 different centers would figure in on 13 of his 20 goals and be in on 18 of the goals in which Clarke received an assist.
Johnson figured in on 4 goals.
1 He assisted on Clarke's 1st goal in game #3.,
2 He assisted on Clarke's 11th goal in Game #30 while subbing in for Gambardella away for a family issue.
3 He assisted on Clarke's 13th goal in game #34 scored by Clarke in the waning moments with the keeper on the bench and the Comets trying to tie it up. They did.
4 He assisted on Clarke's 19th goal in game #51 in OT. Johnsson put a backhand shot on goal while skating through the slot and with the goalie down and out Graeme potted the rebound.
Clarke would assist on 1 Johnsson goal in game 51 on the PP.
The kid is having a great season because unlike the other 2 top NJ prospect forwards he has taken advantage of his multiple scoring chances while Foote has scored 16 goals he has had many more glorious chances in which he has come up empty. He is also finally starting to get some assists totaling 8. Any way you look at it, trailing Clarke by 19 points is not befitting a supposed 1st liner.
If Foote has come up short of expectations, where does that leave Thompson? His season has thus far been a disaster for a top prospect. Scoring 7 goals is way below the definition of disappointment. Especially considering he scored 6 goals with 9 assists last season in 16 GP. That's basically 1 point per game.
Let's be honest here. Clarke is having a great season considering. Compared to the league's top scorers he is off the pace by more than a bit. His 44 points leave him ranked #24 in league scoring. Ex-Comet Michael Carcone leads the league with 65 points. He does have a shot a scoring more goals than Holtz's 26 last season, but he only has 20 more games to do it. Holtz remember was a rookie and 19-yrs-old for most of the season whereas Ckarke is 21 in his 3rd professional season.
Graeme Clarke has been the most effective point compiler this season. He has not been doing it "without much help". You give Johnsson the nod as the guy helping him the most. Johnsson has 29 points. Gambardella and Stevens have been pushing and supporting this kid for most of the season Gambardella has moved into a 2nd place tie for points with Johnsson. Both have 29. Stevens had 27 before leaving the lineup on February 1. So, he missed the last 9 games and most of the 10th. At the pace he was on he would be in 2nd place and skating with Gamby and Clarke, who have both been hot, all of their numbers might be higher. The guys who have been helping him the most are right up there at the top of the chart right behind him. Neither is an NHL experienced player like Johnsson. In fact, Stevens has been a middling AHL lifer. Gambardella is a 29-yr-old AHL veteran with 15 games of NHL experience. He is a grinding, corner digging, board battling winger who looks to set up his linemates first and scores himself second. He is a team leader. He is the straw that stirs Clarke's line when Dineen is smart enough to keep them together instead of trying to spread their scoring touches around. That hasn't been very effective.
Graeme and Gamby are the best combo the Comets have and they would really be hurting without their productivity. He has definitely been the"beneficiary" of 2 AHL lifers. Whether you want to call them elite or not is up to you. For the role he has been asked to play in his career I would call Gambardella telite. He s the best Comet on the ice game in and game out. He is a complete hockey player that every prospect could learn a wealth of how to play this game. His drawback to the next level is speed. He just doesn't have it and his edges are not NHL quality. I can bet you Clarke doesn't see those things as a disadvantage to him.
