Team: HC Nove Zamky
Date of Birth: February 9th, 2003
Ottawa, ON, Canada
Height: 188 cm / 6’2”
Weight: 86 kg / 190 lbs
Position: Defence
Shoots: Right
Player Introduction:
Clarke had a monstrous season with the Don Mills Flyers U16 team in 2018-19 with 113 points which allowed for an easy transition to the OHL collecting 38 points in 57 games with the Barrie Colts. Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the following shutdown of both professional and amateur sports, Clarke was forced to play overseas. During this pandemic cancelled season, he registered 15 points in 26 games in Slovakia, which placed him tied for 8th in points on HC Nove Zamky.
Transition Ability:
Brandt Clarke’s transition game has the potential to be elite, and game changing. Clarke has the ability to play both sides of the puck with speed and skill, with outstanding vision to compliment that two-way game. Brandt’s speed is his most dominant aspect of his transition game which allows him to join the rush and still recover defensively to close the gap on the opponent, he is also good at competing for pucks. At times Clarke can over commit in transition which allows the opponents to break out in numbers, however with the help of an NHL organization mistakes like that can be avoided.
Positioning and Defence:
Defence is where Clarke is going to have to make the most adjustments especially at the pro level, with the speed of the game only getting faster as you progress through the ranks, your defence needs to become near perfect, or else you will see yourself out of the pros just as fast as you arrived. For Clarke, there are times where he is to offensively minded and that can get him out of position even with his speed, when joining the rush he can over commit which can lead to an odd man breakout, and while he may be able to get back using his speed, there are times where he is not in the position needed. Clarke’s board play can be something that is viewed as less than average for a player of this stature, but with time and coaching he should be able to learn and adapt making him a more well-rounded defenceman.
When Clarke is set up in the defensively zone, you can bet on little gap on the opponent, as well as a defender who can break a cycle and push the puck out of the zone with one quick pass. Clarke also can be in the net-front moving opponents out and continue those types of battles all night long.
Offensive Instincts:
Clarke’s skating and speed has been something that has been recognized by many scouts as a key aspect to his game. Clarke has the ability to control the puck on the rush and can quarterback a powerplay. Tying his speed with his skill can make him a game changer, Clarke possess skills that a true offensive defenceman carries, such as, quick hands, great vision and the passing ability to set up his teams in a number of situations. Clarke also is not limited to just the point, he has a tendenacy to be active in the offensive zone, moving from the point, to the flanks and the low slot to generate scoring chances.
Brandt Clarke will be a household name in the coming years and with his offensive mindset can be a player to change the dynamic of a team’s defence core, with his hockey sense and the ability to be a 4th forward when joining the rush.
Hands and Technical Aspects:
When was the last time we saw a defender who could produce off the rush, shut it down defensively and be silky smooth with the puck? Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, Morgan Rielly and Erik Karlsson are names that come to mind when thinking about defenders who can provide those types of skills on the backend for a team, and you can add Brandt Clarke there in 2-5 years. Clarke has the potential to be one of the best puck-moving defenders in the NHL for years to come, as he is already considered elite in that area. Clarke’s vision is outstanding, as well as his confidence to make some of the plays that he does at his age and will be making for years to come.
Clarke has a tendency to wrist the puck more than slapping it, but with his power in his shot and his ability to release fast, it can pay off and beat the goalie from long range. He has a quick release which can be deceptive for the goalie from long range and is a fairly accurate shooter from anywhere in the offensive zone.
Agility:
I have mentioned Clarke’s skating ability previously in this report, as well as the word elite but that is the word that comes to mind when you think about Brandt Clarke’s skating. He has the speed and agility to join the rush and still make it back to defend the opponent. He is one of the stronger skaters for defencemen in his draft class, and at time can be on full display when he takes the puck up the ice or join his teammates. He can be deceptive to some when it comes to transitioning and when rushing with the puck because he doesn’t just skate straight, he uses his edge work and pivots when crossing through the neutral zone.
When the Improvements will Come:
For a potentially elite level defencemen like Clarke, the transition game can be one that is a challenge. Clarke is known as a very good offensive defencemen who can use his sped to his advantage. With the right guidance throughout his career, he should be able to transition his play on the ice and his overall play type. He should be able to make a smooth transition from an offensive defenceman to a two-way/complete defence.
In terms of other areas Brandt Clarke can make improvements it would be to work on developing a slapshot that draws some sort of comparison to his wrist shot. In the pros having a good slap shot isn’t necessary if you have a good wrist but with that being said, having the versatility and the awareness to switch between a very quick release wrist shot and a hard slap shot is an asset that many good powerplay defence specialists have in the NHL.
Lastly, an area that will be taught more in depth by an NHL coach that can make Clarke one of the best defencemen in the league is, when and where not to join the rush, and when to pinch up in the offensive zone, which again can lead to an odd number break out by the opponent, leaving the defender out of position and therefore responsible for being out pf position. However, this is not something that happens too often due to his speed and hockey sense, but it can happen and that is where making those adjustments at the pro-level will be beneficial for a player like Clarke.
Conclusion:
Brandt Clarke does not have many flaws to his game and his draft stock reflects that, when evaluating a player you need to decide if the areas for improvement are aspects of a players game that can be fixed with learning and experiencing, or if they flaws that have a low percentage chance in being fixed. Clarke as mentioned does not have many areas that can be retaught or adjusted in his pro career.
If I were to make any type of comparison for Brandt Clarke, it would be a Morgan Rielly type defender who is great on the rush, can quarterback an offence, be aggressive in the O-zone, while also being defensively sound in his own zone.
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