D Brandt Clarke - Ontario Reign, AHL (2021, 8th, LAK)

[Agent Zuuuub]

Without skating issues, he would be easy number 1 in this draft though(it would be interesting to see how draft would go if you could get one flaw away from each prospect, but it is separate discussion entirely). We will see how things will develop with him and if he overcomes his problems. Big time potential with this guy. Safe to say, Clarke is still my no 1 pick in this draft. But only because I probably take D before winger(Eklund). Who knows, might be wrong, might be right. We will see in couple of years.

I agree. If he had Hughes skating he is the slam dunk #1 and the next Karlsson/Makar. He is still so young, and both EK and Makar made sizeable gains in skating after being drafted. Maybe Brandt does as well?

 

[Osprey]

I believe Kings Draft scouting team were holding Eklund and Clarke in the same tier.
If am not mistaking Mark Yannnetti (director of amateur scouting for Kings) was saying that after six selection of the draft LA was ready to move down to pick #9.
They thought both of these players (Eklund and Clarke) will be available at 9th.
After Sharks took Eklund with seventh pick LA canceled the trade immediately.
Kings wanted to draft either one of this players.

The way that I read things is that Blake and Yannetti had Eklund and Clarke in the same tier, as you said, but that they tried to move up (to maybe #5 or 6) to get someone from the tier above them (maybe Hughes, MacTavish or Edvinsson). When they were unable to do that, they were fine with sticking with #8 because they were high on Eklund and Clarke, too. After all, Blake and Yannetti won't say that Clarke was the defenseman that they were targeting all along or that Eklund was the forward, which you'd imagine that they might say if it were true. I think that they liked a lot of the players and maybe would've preferred another player, but are still very happy with the one that they got.

 

[Akrapovince]

I agree. If he had Hughes skating he is the slam dunk #1 and the next Karlsson/Makar. He is still so young, and both EK and Makar made sizeable gains in skating after being drafted. Maybe Brandt does as well?

Refresh my memory was EK’s skating package out the box not the best or did he just improve it immensely to prime skating Karlsson?

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

Refresh my memory was EK’s skating package out the box not the best or did he just improve it immensely to prime skating Karllson?

To me rookie and sophomore Karlsson was a good skater. Really graceful.
3rd season he added power to that grace and could lap anyone. 4th season was even more ridiculous until he got injured and was never the same.

The rate both Karlssons and Makar improved at was insane though. They were the smartest and then they became the most athletically dominant. I really want Brandt to do the same. It would be great for hockey and hockey fans.

 

[Osprey]

I guess that people weren't kidding about Clarke's unusual skating.

— It should be noted that 2021 first round selection Brandt Clarke had an interesting approach to the skating test. His form and style just looked completely different than everybody else. And not really in a good way. It was as if he was trying to run on the ice, rather than skate. We can’t imagine his initial numbers will be impressive. However, the Kings have had plenty of guys who came to their first camp needing to work on skating who went on to become solid NHLers, with Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson quickly coming to mind. Clarke is 18 years old. He’ll figure it out.

On the brighter side...

— If you’re looking for the counterpoint on Clarke’s skills… hot damn, he’s smooth with the puck. When you watch him in drills, he’s almost effortless with the way he passes the puck or protects it. Additionally, he seems to be thinking the game a step or two ahead of nearly everybody else on the ice. It will be very interesting to see how he performs in Friday’s scrimmage.

LA Kings Dev Camp: Day 3 – Notes, Quotes, and Observations

 

[bsu]

Kings got a steal

 

[Dominance]

Kings got a steal

Buffalo couldn’t afford to go with anyone other than Power after he showed out at the WC, but Clarke was the best prospect in this year’s draft.

 

[bsu]

Buffalo couldn’t afford to go with anyone other than Power after he showed out at the WC, but Clarke was the best prospect in this year’s draft.

I don't think that is the case but the Kings got a great pick that fell to them.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Buffalo couldn’t afford to go with anyone other than Power after he showed out at the WC, but Clarke was the best prospect in this year’s draft.

Haven't seen a dman in the organization with this sort of 'aura' since Doughty. He's got that superstar feel about him, where everything on the ice looks like a chesspiece that he's running. And EVERYTHING looks effortless--including him breaking up oddman breaks as if he knew what was coming all along. He's just processing the game at an absolutely elite level.

I know more than a few people had him up top of the draft and in spite of the physical tools needing to catch up, it's easy to see why, now. Like back in the day with Drew, it was like--if this guy can do ALL THIS while being out of shape in Drew's case, knock kneed in Brandt's--what's he going to be like when that part catches up?

 

[kilowatt]

All toolbox, still honing the tools. The anti-Jack Johnson. Can't wait to see what he can do.

 

[wetcoast]

Haven't seen a dman in the organization with this sort of 'aura' since Doughty. He's got that superstar feel about him, where everything on the ice looks like a chesspiece that he's running. And EVERYTHING looks effortless--including him breaking up oddman breaks as if he knew what was coming all along. He's just processing the game at an absolutely elite level.

I know more than a few people had him up top of the draft and in spite of the physical tools needing to catch up, it's easy to see why, now. Like back in the day with Drew, it was like--if this guy can do ALL THIS while being out of shape in Drew's case, knock kneed in Brandt's--what's he going to be like when that part catches up?

I'm wondering where he ends up playing this season and is there is an outside chance he does a Doughty.

 

[PumperNichol]

I'm wondering where he ends up playing this season and is there is an outside chance he does a Doughty.

I watched him this week on Monday & Tuesday and he looks a couple years away..mainly because he's got a boy's body. He really needs to get bigger and he spoke about that today with media.

He's definitely a bit of an unorthodox skater but it's not a negative, it's just not a positive. But, his hockey IQ is off the charts which evens things out. I think most of us have seen what he can do in the offensive zone but what impressed me the most was how well he made reads defensively. Many times he would step up in the neutral zone and break up plays. He's not afraid to take that chance to step up offensively and defensively but, there's also an obvious risk with that.

I kept watching him thinking it's really too bad he can't play in the AHL. That's where he needs to be.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Kings fans, what do you see as his ceiling as a player?

 

[bsu]

I think he settles into a Klingberg-lite.

 

[Legionnaire]

I think he settles into a Klingberg-lite.

Does he even like German lager?

 

[Starry Knight]

I think he settles into a Klingberg-lite.

I don't think you need to temper your expectations with the "lite". Clarke has all the tools to be a 1-to-1 clone of Klingberg.

 

[bsu]

I don't think you need to temper your expectations with the "lite". Clarke has all the tools to be a 1-to-1 clone of Klingberg.

It's possible, I think that is his comparison.

 

[King'sPawn]

Kings fans, what do you see as his ceiling as a player?

Hopefully a top pairing offensive defenseman who fills Doughty's big shoes upon retirement.

Not to be a hall of famer, but to be able to fill his role eventually

 

[BadgerBruce]

I’m a Brandt Clarke fan and think he has an excellent chance of becoming a very good NHLer.

But I’m always a bit jittery about defencemen (and goalies even more) who spent significant portions of their youth playing for juggernaut teams. The goalies get no shots, the defencemen don’t learn how to actually defend. Their teams are just too stacked.

That’s why I want to see Clarke play an entire junior season as an 18-19 year old where he must be more than an offensive catalyst. He needs the hardest matchups every night, not the easy ones. A deep playoff run against progressively better opponents would also help a lot.

But that’s what development is all about — putting prospects in situations where they are forced to do things they are less experienced at and can, with expert guidance, improve.

 

[CRAZY_FAN]

From the video footage I saw, it does look like Clarke has the most offensive potential out of the top 4 defenceman taken imo. I would rank them like this based on offence only:

1. Clarke
2. Hughes
3. Power
4. Edvinsson

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I’m a Brandt Clarke fan and think he has an excellent chance of becoming a very good NHLer.

But I’m always a bit jittery about defencemen (and goalies even more) who spent significant portions of their youth playing for juggernaut teams. The goalies get no shots, the defencemen don’t learn how to actually defend. Their teams are just too stacked.

That’s why I want to see Clarke play an entire junior season as an 18-19 year old where he must be more than an offensive catalyst. He needs the hardest matchups every night, not the easy ones. A deep playoff run against progressively better opponents would also help a lot.

But that’s what development is all about — putting prospects in situations where they are forced to do things they are less experienced at and can, with expert guidance, improve.

I think most would argue he did that over the course of this season playing against pro men in Europe. But I agree with you.

 

[Frolov 6'3]

I’m a Brandt Clarke fan and think he has an excellent chance of becoming a very good NHLer.

But I’m always a bit jittery about defencemen (and goalies even more) who spent significant portions of their youth playing for juggernaut teams. The goalies get no shots, the defencemen don’t learn how to actually defend. Their teams are just too stacked.

Every scout will look at that and will eventually make a decision.

Hopefully the player will turn out to be better than for instance Jack Johnson who never learnt to play defense in Michigan.

 

[FireBird71]

Every scout will look at that and will eventually make a decision.

Hopefully the player will turn out to be better than for instance Jack Johnson who never learnt to play defense in Michigan.

His defense at Michigan was just fine

 

[Eggtimer]

Before the draft I wanted my Devils to draft Clarke . I never got to watch him play live , just watched videos / shift by shift games etc.
He looks very dynamic and I hope he plays a long time .
With drafting Luke Hughes , it will be hard not to watch Clarke Edvinsson Power Lambos etc and not keep an eye on who is better out of the bunch lol. Sorry Kings fans but I hope he turns out to be a dynamic player .., just not as dynamic as Hughes lol.

 

[Frolov 6'3]

His defense at Michigan was just fine

Yeah we saw how fine it was in the NHL after being able to play like a forward in Michigan.