Despite their best efforts, the Senators were quiet on NHL Trade Deadline Day, but shortly after the deadline passed, the Sens did announce an interesting minor-league deal.
The Senators swapped forwards with the Washington Capitals, acquiring Graeme Clarke, a player with strong local ties. Clarke grew up in Ottawa and spent three seasons in the OHL with the Ottawa 67’s before turning pro.
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In return, the Senators are sending the Capitals Wyatt Bongiovanni, Belleville’s leading goal scorer last season.
Originally drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the third round (80th overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft, Clarke appeared in three NHL games with the Devils, and his AHL career has taken him to Hershey, Binghamton, Utica, and Iowa.
He was part of those outstanding 67s teams whose Memorial Cup potential was derailed by the COVID shutdown, and represented Canada at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, scoring three points in five games en route to a gold medal.
Clarke’s younger brother, Brandt, is a defenseman with the LA Kings, and it was Brandt’s emergence last season that made Jordan Spence expendable in LA. Clarke’s sister, MacKenzie, plays defense for the St. Lawrence University women’s team.
According to his new team, he may make his Belleville debut on Saturday night, when the Sens host the Comets at CAA Arena.
Steve Warne
The Hockey News
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