Yes, but I also think it's always been stronger than ppl think. My thoughts here, from earlier in this thread:
I think ppl see guys who like to slow the game down at times, and who really get into that wide stance/ankles bent in stance, and have a perception that skating is a weakness, but that's not necessarily the case. Clarke is ultra agile, amazing edges, just crazy mobility in all directions in tight spaces, so fluid with his transitions. And his speed is pretty good too, when he decides to use it, he's just not a guy who flies around all the time, he picks and chooses his spots to go full out.
Honestly, the first time or two I saw him, I wasn't focusing on him deeply, and kinda bought into the perception of "his skating is so-so". But I think if you watch him closely, there's so many amazing aspects to his skating, and few weaknesses. He's a really good skater, just not in a classic textbook style, but in a style that's becoming increasingly popular. I think ppl see him often in this sort of stance:
And first impression from someone taught textbook, classic power skating is "bender", with the way his knees and ankles collapse in towards the inside edges. But Clarke has amazing mobility in this sort of stance, super rapid and unpredictable direction changes - collapsing in is part of the technique, to increase the blade angle for ultra quick/sharp turning. It's very similar to what guys like Makar and Dahlin do, Kaprizov and MacKinnon too, lots of guys. Skating is changing but ppl's opinions haven't caught up.