About a month ago, Kings coach Jim Hiller added a new twist to his ongoing praise for 22-year-old defenseman Brandt Clarke. After singing his young rearguard’s praises during training camp — including repeated comments about the work LA’s 2021 first round pick put in during the offseason — Hiller said, “We have to find some more ice time for him.”
True to his word, the very next night, Clarke logged 21:27 — his season-high up until that point.
Fast forward three weeks since and Clarke is coming off a stretch where he just played three consecutive games (vs. Toronto, Ottawa, and Washington) of logging more than 20 minutes per contest. That’s something he’s only done once previously in the NHL, and it came last November.
In fact, earlier this week vs. the Capitals, Clarke played a season-high 22:53. It was the second-most minutes he’s ever played over a 123-game career with the Kings. His personal high-water mark came vs. Calgary during the aforementioned stretch last year. LA trailed 2-0 in that game during the third period, so there were some situational similarities to how he was just deployed on Monday.
The journey for Clarke isn’t over, though, it’s just beginning. However, the real work for this season began over the summer, where he became serious about doing damn near anything he could to take his game to the next level.
“I tried to get my weight up,” Clarke shared, for starters. “I took more supplements, stuff like that. Honestly, I think I wore down a little bit last year. There were points where — not like I wasn’t ready to go, but — I felt like maybe my body was worn down. That’s gonna happen to a young guy, but I don’t want that to be the case this season. I want to be good to go when I’m called on. I don’t want there to be any setbacks; mentally, personal, anything.”
He went on the say that he believes being ‘good to go off the hop’ gets you in the right mindset night in and night out.
“I’ve been happy with how everything’s been going, and I’m happy with the trust I’ve gotten,” Clarke added. “I just want to keep that going.”
An Increase in Minutes
“I saw after the game that I had the most (minutes of any player),” Clarke said during his availability with the media on Wednesday, when asked about his minutes on Monday. “I didn’t feel any different. I didn’t feel gassed. In the third, I think I had over 10 minutes, and it didn’t feel like it dragged on by any means. I just felt like I was in the flow of the play, and I was ready for my next shift. I’m a competitor; we’re down a goal. I want to be out there and help the team, so I think that’s kind of where my mindset was. Unfortunately, we couldn’t pull it off, but I felt good and I was happy with my performance.”
Getting more ice time is about being better in all areas of the game. Therefore, he explained how being stronger has helped him in a few specific areas thus far this season.
“I think in the corners,” he began. “Wall play has been big for me, and below our goal line. I’m just holding guys there, letting support come in and break the puck out. I think my feet have gotten a lot better too. It’s just like quick transitions, being able to close guys at the blueline. I think that’s been a point of emphasis too.”
Best of all, he’s seeing some of the work manifest into real change.
“I’m really noticing it,” Clarke stated, “And when I notice it, I feel like that’s a good sign because sometimes it’s harder for the player to actually see a growth. But I see it, so it’s going well for me and I’m happy.”
From Hiller’s standpoint, while everything is rounding into form, it’s been anything but a linear process.
“I don’t think it was a master plan,” said LA’s bench boss. “It basically comes down to, ‘How quickly can a player adjust to playing defense in the National Hockey League?’ It’s really difficult. You get out there against some of those guys — or all of them, for the most part — and there’s some players in particular you have to be able to contain them, or the puck is going to end up in back of your net pretty quickly. Clarky’s done as good of a job as I’ve seen coming in and getting through that. I think part of it for him, one was just reading the game, knowing when to go. How to defend. And I think the other part that’s really helping, he really understood the game last year. I think his sense of the game on both sides of the puck by the end of the season was excellent.
“I think the summer was really important for him. I think he put on a lot of strength. [Watching some tape from last year], maybe he had a hard time containing some of the guys that had taken him wide. Now, he’s on their hips, and he’s actually knocking them off balance. It makes a complete world of difference to him and the rest of guys on the ice.”
New to the scene, but obviously not new to hockey, GM Ken Holland has also been impressed with Clarke’s ongoing development.
“For young players, it starts in the summertime, and I think he had a real good summer,” said the Hall of Fame hockey executive. “His numbers in training camp showed that he had a good summer.”
In cautioning the gathered media about looking at certain in-season metrics, Hiller later provided further insight into his own review of data related to Clarke.
“There’s numbers, all kinds of numbers,” Hiller said. “But what I would say is, our evaluations in going through the numbers that we [value] have been really good. Really good. In fact, I was just talking to [the staff] about how well he’s improved at making good defensive plays and limiting his poor plays. It’s just been incredible. So, yeah, it does match the eye test in that respect. But also, with some of our internal stuff, he’s just made marked improvements … I think it varies from player to player, but for defensemen in particular, history would tell you that it takes a little bit more time. But that doesn’t mean it’s the same for everybody. In fact, Clarky’s trajectory for me is faster than most. Where does it go? I don’t know, but we don’t want him to level off any time soon.”
Potentially Expanding His Role
Playing all of that extra time the other night was about one thing, attempting to generate offense for a Kings team that was trailing in the third period. But, what about finding other opportunities to earn more ice time?
“There hasn’t been a conversation, I haven’t been put in that spot yet,” Clarke said, when asked if he’d like to kill penalties. It’s something he’s certainly open too, though.
“They wanted me to do that in the preseason, and I thought I did well,” he shared. “We always do the meetings and I’m attentive, just in case I do get out there. I’m ready to go, if that becomes the case. I’m good to block shots; feel like I block a lot of shots. Like I’ve said, my feet are better so I can close the blueline better, and I think I’m comfortable in that spot. I haven’t been put in it yet; but if they want to do that, I’ll be all-hands on deck. And like I just said, I’ve listened to every single meeting. I know what system we run. I know where the spots [are] that I need to be in. So, when that becomes the case, I’ll be ready to go.”
Although many from the outside may want it to come as soon as possible, Clarke sees the big picture.
“I talked to DJ (Smith) and I think there were moments last season where they’d be really cautious of who’s on the ice against me and how I need to know who I’m on the ice against,” Clarke shared. “Now, like last week or so, he [said], ‘I trust you against anyone in the league 5-on-5. I want you out there all the time.’ He has full belief in me. There are no red flags or anything like that. I can shut it down when I need to, whatever it may be. I can move the puck up the ice and just be a part of the play and everything. The coaching staff has been great for me, and I feel like I’ve been taking those steps to being an all-situations player. And that’s what I want to be; whether we’re up or down a goal. I just want to help out the best I can, so I think I’m taking steps in the right direction. When that time comes, you know I’ll be ready for it.”
His Next Contract
Clarke is in the final season of his three-year entry level contract. He’ll be a Restricted Free Agent (RFA) next summer, without arbitration rights. Essentially, he isn’t going anywhere. Nonetheless, with Adrian Kempe’s new deal now completed, getting something done with Clarke is next on the agenda when it comes to contract negotiations.
“I’ve talked to his agent a little bit, nothing is going on right now, though,” said Holland. “I think that that he’s an important part of the future. He’s also an important part of the present. He’s one of our six guys and he plays the second power play. The other night when we were behind in Washington, he played 22 minutes. That’s who he was as a junior player and that’s what we’re hoping he’ll grow into. Again, he’s still pretty young. He’s in a great spot.”
When asked about the topic, Clarke sprinkled in a little more context.
“I’m aware, I’m updated; but I think ‘very preliminary’ would be the right words to use,” Clarke noted, when asked about where things stood on the contract front. “I love being an LA King and I’ve loved my time here. I want to be here for a long time, but there’s definitely not anything set in stone. There [hasn’t been any] big communication. I think they met [recently] because my agent is from the Ontario area. I think they met over that trip. Like I said, it’s very preliminary.”
The Pairing with Edmundson
“I like the pair; him and Eddie have been a good pair,” said Holland. “They paired him up with a vet. That’s what we did in Edmonton with [Evan] Bouchard and [Philip] Broberg. It’s what happened with Duncan Keith and Mattias Ekholm. That’s what’s going on here. He’s linked with a good pro. They’ve found good chemistry.”
When asked about letting Clarke play to his strengths, Holland had a very clear view.
“The most important thing is winning right now,” he said. “If we were in rebuild mode, the most important thing might be to just play a bunch of young players. Right now, where our team is at, what’s been accomplished here the last few years, the most important thing is winning.”
When it comes to playing alongside Edmondson, Clarke suggests he’s found a rhythm.
“Comfortability, obviously, goes a long way,” said the former OHL standout. “I think we just work well together. We talk on the bench. We move on the blueline well. He’s told me he’s never played with a guy that gets on the puck like I do. I take that as a compliment, and that puts a smile on my face. I just want to incorporate him into the play. He trusts me defensively, too. He’s like, you got him [pointing to an area where a player would be on the ice]. Whoever is on the ice (against us), we’re confident together. That goes a long way for me. We communicate well. Our whole d-core communicates well. And with Dewey out, the loudest voice is gone, but still — we all step up and help each other out. We have a really good solid group here, and I’m fortunate to be part of it.”
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