***Preseason Gm 1 GDT LA Kings @ Utah Hockey Club TONIGHT 6:00pm on NHL Network***

[DryKing]

As a future game breaker, he doesn’t need to go down and dominate the AHL. He needs to learn what he can, and can’t, do in the NHL.

Generally speaking, not you specifically, what I find funny is posters who think this team is mediocre and may miss the playoffs saying Clarke isn’t ready. Not ready for what? That is the ideal team for a young player to learn from his mistakes.

Let's be honest, though. If the Kings miss the playoffs heads will roll within the Organization's leadership so I'd suspect Blake/Luc to do everything they can (in spite of what may be good for the org/team going forward) to ensure the Kings make the playoffs this season.

As to Clarke, he really is not ready from a either a physical or defensive perspective *but* the AHL will likely do more harm than good regarding his development at this point. He will likely have a brutal 1st quarter / 1st half of the season but should grow significantly during that time and, like you said, will need to use that time to learn his way in the NHL during that time.

I'm not sold on Clarke developing into a game breaker at the NHL level, but his attitude and willingness to adapt will likely determine his future success as the skill is there to do so.

 

[DarkLeftHand]

Regarding all the Clarke rebuttals to my initial criticism of his play last night, I’ll say this. There’s no point in him playing in the AHL again this year. He was nearly a point a game in the reg season and playoffs. As a few mentioned before, he’s just going to have to learn on the job in the NHL.

My issue with Clarke is that he always looks flat footed and has has a severe lack of acceleration. He’s going to get beat to the puck down low in the corners EVERY SINGLE TIME, and thus, end up being penalized to a maddening degree. The only way he can keep pace with an nhl game is skating forward straight away with momentum, or his dancing skills when the puck is already on his stick. Don’t look for him to actually play defense and force the opposition to turn the puck over. Hence my assertion that his defensive play will be third pairing NHL quality at best, and the rest of his game will be PP specialist or activating from the offensive blue line in. It’s not that he can’t think the game, it’s simply that his skates will never get him to where the brain knows he needs to be, quickly enough to make a difference.

 

[ICE24]

I wouldn’t mind “Utah Roaring Tabernacle.” It has a high pitch.

 

[Earl]

My biggest concern with Clarke is the amount of times he gets hit which I really noticed while in attendance at the rookie tournament and last night as well as last season. I know Jeannot and Edmundson were brought in to protect him but when the Tom Wilsons of the league start lining him up he has to protect himself better or he won't last long.

 

[pray4mojo]

I wouldn’t mind “Utah Roaring Tabernacle.” It has a high pitch.

Logo: an enforcer type caricature in choir robes, missing teeth with his stick menacingly displayed! (other mormon inspired iconography tastefully displayed as shoulder patches, etc. )

 

[DarkLeftHand]

My biggest concern with Clarke is the amount of times he gets hit which I really noticed while in attendance at the rookie tournament and last night as well as last season. I know Jeannot and Edmundson were brought in to protect him but when the Tom Wilsons of the league start lining him up he has to protect himself better or he won't last long.

If Brandt Clarke ever has to defend himself against -anyone- in the NHL, whether it be Tom Wilson, or Brayden freaking Point, then the likes of Jeannot, Englund, and Edmundson should find themselves in the press box the next few games..

 

[Earl]

If Brandt Clarke ever has to defend himself against -anyone- in the NHL, whether it be Tom Wilson, or Brayden freaking Point, then the likes of Jeannot, Englund, and Edmundson should find themselves in the press box the next few games..

But I'm talking about merely surviving the hits he's going to inevitably take from the Wilsons of the league not him fighting these people who run him. By the time Jeannot,Englund,Burroughs.....get to the offender it essentially doesn't matter. I was surprised at how many times he got hit in the rookie tournament. Edmundson although I don't like the term was a very necessary addition.

 

[MiketheKing]

Seems too early to be this salty. Like it can’t be earlier than pre season game 1.

It's dry sarcasm-- it's never too early for joking around sheesh

 

[F**e_Off]

It seems to me that although speed of thought (anticipation) will always be quicker than physical speed of action, the former can still, to varying extent, compensate for the latter, by getting the player to the place and into position quicker than having speed of neither at all. The same can apply to reacting to or better still avoiding, either partially or completely, hits while on offence too.

Surely then, to bring Brandt Clarke's speed of thought (anticipation) up to the speed of the NHL, he needs to be playing there regularly irrespective of the physical demands, risks and consequences of doing so. This applies both to playing defence and offence.

On defence, at least, his ability then to deal with the situation/opponent once he's there, in position, is a completely different challenge entirely. He strikes my untrained eye as being, at least for now, too small for defence and too slow for offence. Whether that can change, as he grows and trains, perhaps only time will tell...

 

[MiketheKing]

It seems to me that although speed of thought (anticipation) will always be quicker than physical speed of action, the former can still, to varying extent, compensate for the latter, by getting the player to the place and into position quicker than having speed of neither at all. The same can apply to reacting to or better still avoiding, either partially or completely, hits while on offence too.

Surely then, to bring Brandt Clarke's speed of thought (anticipation) up to the speed of the NHL, he needs to be playing there regularly irrespective of the physical demands, risks and consequences of doing so. This applies both to playing defence and offence.

On defence, at least, his ability then to deal with the situation/opponent once he's there, in position, is a completely different challenge entirely. He strikes my untrained eye as being, at least for now, too small for defence and too slow for offence. Whether that can change, as he grows and trains, perhaps only time will tell...

I don't know why but this reminded me of that classic Simpsons Halloween episode

"BUT WHAT TO DO WITH POOR Brandt Clarke?
TOO CRAZY FOR BOYS TOWN
TOO MUCH OF A BOY FOR CRAZY TOWN"

 

[Pevsfreedom]

If they throw Byfield to the wolves in the NHL I don't see why you don't do the same with Clarke - I guess because he's a defenseman? Do we.. have anyone better?

 

[Clif]

If they throw Byfield to the wolves in the NHL I don't see why you don't do the same with Clarke - I guess because he's a defenseman? Do we.. have anyone better?

I mean, when Roy walked, and Brandt led AHL dmen in scoring as a rookie, it appeared the writing was on the wall. But this is not a wall. This is a message board, and the writing is different.

 

[kingnut]

If they throw Byfield to the wolves in the NHL I don't see why you don't do the same with Clarke - I guess because he's a defenseman? Do we.. have anyone better?

At least if they keep him up, there is more physicality on the ice to protect him

 

[ICE24]

We know Clarke is going to get hit, it’s part of the game. You can’t protect him each time someone comes in with a legal hit, and if they do the Kings will have a parade to the penalty box, which is not a good thing for the Kings.

 

[AngelEyes]

We know Clarke is going to get hit, it’s part of the game. You can’t protect him each time someone comes in with a legal hit, and if they do the Kings will have a parade to the penalty box, which is not a good thing for the Kings.

Meh, according to a few folks on this board, the Kings are gonna suck anyway, so might as well go 'slapshot' on the league and be entertaining that way, eh? Can we get a modern-day Ogie?

(Not pointing my finger at you, btw.)

 

[LAKingSteve]

But I'm talking about merely surviving the hits he's going to inevitably take from the Wilsons of the league not him fighting these people who run him. By the time Jeannot,Englund,Burroughs.....get to the offender it essentially doesn't matter. I was surprised at how many times he got hit in the rookie tournament. Edmundson although I don't like the term was a very necessary addition.

He will be fine. Kid will put some size on over the next couple years and be a stud. Literally everyone says he's a can't miss.

 

[LAKingSteve]

I wouldn’t mind “Utah Roaring Tabernacle.” It has a high pitch.

There is only one name...the Utah Soakers. IFYKYK

 

[Earl]

He will be fine. Kid will put some size on over the next couple years and be a stud. Literally everyone says he's a can't miss.

Oh don't get me wrong I'm rooting for him but if you are getting hit hard by a Ducks 4th round pick you better be very well aware of when Tom Wilson is coming down on you. I realize probably both Edmundson and Jeannot were brought in for "protection" but a guy like Wilson is not going to be scared of those 2. I can only imagine what damage Rempe or say Zadorov would do to Clarke if they launched a clean hit on him.

 

[LAKingSteve]

Oh don't get me wrong I'm rooting for him but if you are getting hit hard by a Ducks 4th round pick you better be very well aware of when Tom Wilson is coming down on you. I realize probably both Edmundson and Jeannot were brought in for "protection" but a guy like Wilson is not going to be scared of those 2. I can only imagine what damage Rempe or say Zadorov would do to Clarke if they launched a clean hit on him.

Couldn't the same be said of Spence or even Mikey to some extent? Neither are big boys. Clarke will get there. May just take a few bumps and bruises along the way.

 

[Clif]

Couldn't the same be said of Spence or even Mikey to some extent? Neither are big boys. Clarke will get there. May just take a few bumps and bruises along the way.

Yeah and Clarke is 6’2”. He got in a couple fights last season. He’s not that fragile.

I can’t argue re: the extent he got hit in the AHL. I didn’t see those games. What I will say is I don’t think the AHL is any safer than the NHL. If he survived that season I’m not going to white knuckle it every time he’s on the ice with the Kings.