After a miserable season last year, the Ontario Reign are showing signs of life, and part of that is due to their incredible star rookie, defenceman Brandt Clarke, who was named their representative for the 2024 AHL All Star Classic next month.
Who Is Brandt Clarke?
Clarke is a former first round pick of the Los Angeles Kings, going 8th overall in 2021. He played his major junior hockey in Barrie with the Colts of the OHL, but when the league shut down due to COVID-19, he spent a season playing in the Slovakian Men’s League, where he more than held his own with 15 points in 26 games as an eighteen year old.
Clarke was an engine for the Colts all three seasons he was there, racking up 158 points in 143 games, including an absolutely monstrous season where he recorded 61 points in 31 games and then added another 27 points in 12 playoff games for good measure.
Why Clarke?
Since coming to Ontario for his first full pro season, Clarke has picked up exactly where he left off in Barrie. He’s leading the team in scoring, is eighth in league wide scoring, leads all defencemen, and is second in rookie scoring, and he’s doing all that before even turning 21. In 30 games for the Reign this season he has 32 points. Some of his teammates are just about keeping pace, like Samuel Fagemo with 30 points and TJ Tynan with 28, but to do what Clarke is doing as a 20 year old rookie, it had to be him getting the call.
Clarke’s rookie explosion at the AHL level has been noticed by the Kings’ higher-ups, and he made his NHL debut earlier this week after a call-up, where he remains for now. In what is looking like a strong overall draft, Clarke has stood out so far, and he could end up being an NHL All-Star and more before his career is done.
Photo credit: RJ Forbus
