D Brandt Clarke - (2021, 8th, LAK)

[ConnorMcMullet]

You’d have to be living under a f-cking rock not to have seen this coming…As I have said many times in this thread, the thing that makes Clarke different IMHO is having the balls to challenge. He has the courage to do anything and is extremely dynamic in that regard…that’s what I like about BC. Terrific player.

Yup. That X-factor is something I always look for in prospects — the hunger, drive, and balls to take risks and try to make a big play. Some people called Clarke cocky or selfish for his tendency to “beaver tap” and call for the puck in his draft year, but that’s much more indicative of his desire to make something happen.

I had him ranked 1st in his draft class, and I believe other posters here like @Pavel Buchnevich and @Dominance did too.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

his skating is so funky that its an asset. defenders have no idea what they are seeing lol.

 

[Lt Dan]

his skating is so funky that its an asset. defenders have no idea what they are seeing lol.

 

[Dominance]

Yup. That X-factor is something I always look for in prospects — the hunger, drive, and balls to take risks and try to make a big play. Some people called Clarke cocky or selfish for his tendency to “beaver tap” and call for the puck in his draft year, but that’s much more indicative of his desire to make something happen.

I had him ranked 1st in his draft class, and I believe other posters here like @Pavel Buchnevich and @Dominance did too.

Indeed. He’s all along had a rare ability to dictate games, along with truly elite playmaking and very, very strong skating despite how horrific it looks. He’ll never be PK1 but I think he defends well and will be a top echelon 1D who will put up 70+ points a year and 24+ minutes a game before long.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1852013000095600812

Hadn't even thought of comparing him to Bouchard, it's an interesting thought

Clarke doesn't have anywhere near the shot though

 

[Shroud of Orrin]

Bouchard vs Clarke OHL career
regular season + playoffs goals:

Clarke: 47 in 152 = 0.31 goals per game
Bouchard 62 in 262 = 0.24 goals per game

Clarke doesn’t have the bomb that Bouchard does but he has just as good or better goal scoring instincts and ability as he demonstrated in the OHL.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

Bouchard vs Clarke OHL career
regular season + playoffs goals:

Clarke: 47 in 152 = 0.31 goals per game
Bouchard 62 in 262 = 0.24 goals per game

Clarke doesn’t have the bomb that Bouchard does but he has just as good or better goal scoring instincts and ability as he demonstrated in the OHL.

Not really a fair comparison given the ratio of pre- and post-draft games they each played in the OHL. Clarke's big goal scoring season was his D+2 year, which Bouchard played in the AHL.

Regardless, they're very different players. Bouchard generates most of his offense with his passing and his shot, and it's his smarts and poise that make him such a threat. While Clarke is also incredibly intelligent, he's more dynamic and uses his skating to involve himself offensively a lot more than Bouchard does.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Not really a fair comparison given the ratio of pre- and post-draft games they each played in the OHL. Clarke's big goal scoring season was his D+2 year, which Bouchard played in the AHL.

Regardless, they're very different players. Bouchard generates most of his offense with his passing and his shot, and it's his smarts and poise that make him such a threat. While Clarke is also incredibly intelligent, he's more dynamic and uses his skating to involve himself offensively a lot more than Bouchard does.

The passing and the shot is what I thought of really. Maybe Clarke uses his feet more. But he's a superb passer/playmaker and his shot is dangerous because he's just amazing at zipping it through. It's not as dangerous on its own like Bouchard's but I could see him getting a ton of Karlsson points with that simple but deadly seeing eye wrister through screens.

I didn't really mean to compare them directly so not trying to run with it too hard. Just thought it was an interesting thought based on Bader's formula.