Clarke Has Eyes on the NHL | FEATURE

Every time Utica Comets head coach Kevin Dineen walks into the Adirondack Bank Center, he’s greeted by a picture. And it makes him smile.

The picture features a goal celebration from two seasons ago. The celebrators include veterans Frederik Gauthier, A.J. Greer and Graeme Clarke.

Except the then 20-year-old Clarke looks a little out of place among his more veteran teammates to Dineen.

“Graeme looks like he’s on the wrong side of the glass. He should be on the other side. He looks like a little kid fan,” Dineen laughed. “That was two years ago. Now I look at him and he looks like a man.”

A lot has changed for Clarke in those two years, appearances aside. Injuries limited him to just 52 games in that pictured 2021-22 season, a year in which he posted 10 goals and 24 points. But Clarke, the Devils’ third-round pick (80^th overall) in 2019, made quite a statement last season.

In 2022-23, Clarke led the Comets in every offensive category with 25 goals, 33 assists and 58 points. Only three of his 25 goals were scored on the man-advantaged, meaning the right-hand shot did most of his damage at even-strength.

“He had some injuries my first year in Utica,” Dineen said. “He came back from the injury and he’d be the first to agree that things didn’t go well for him in the last half of the year. I think he made a commitment, like he does every summer, and he came in last year wanting to contribute. And he certainly did that. He led our team in scoring.”

Clarke’s offensive abilities easily pass the eye test. The next step in his personal development will come in the defensive areas, which is something he worked to improve this past off-season.

“Trying to focus on things like wall work or defensive zone positioning,” Clarke said. “You try to do game-situation stuff in the summer as much as you can.”

Clarke, 22, has played the past three seasons in the American Hockey League. The 6-foot, 170-pound forward will enter next week’s training camp with the hopes of earning a spot on the NHL roster.

“It’s the most excited I’ve been to come to a Devils camp,” he said. “I have the expectations for myself that I want to make the team, I want to make a push. I think there’s a shot for me if I do the right things. I think it’s an opportunity for me.

“I have a chance if I just do the right things.”

If Clarke were to crack the Devils’ season-opening roster, it will likely be as a third- or fourth-line player with possibly a penalty killing role. In which case his defensive play will shoulder even more importance at the highest level of hockey. Clarke believes he’s ready, but it’s a matter of showing it.  

"I have to show that I can be a well-rounded player, if that’s a third-, fourth-line role to start, whatever I can do to get on the team and go from there,” Clarke said. “Playing the right way and getting the trust of the coaching staff. That’s what I talked about at my year end meeting with the coaches, getting the trust of (Devils head coach) Lindy (Ruff) or anyone else knowing that I can be on the ice.”

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Clarke will be given every opportunity to grow his defensive game and opportunity to show that he can be an effective player at both ends of the ice. Whether that occurs in the NHL or the AHL is still to be determined.

“It’s really taken great steps,” Dineen said of Clarke’s D play. “He was a difference maker on the offensive side. I think the natural transition is that he’s proven himself at that level. We’re going to keep sticking him in there.

“I plan on using him on the penalty kill and giving him those opportunities to expand his role and expand his game. So, when he gets that opportunity in the NHL, he’s the well-rounded player that he needs to be.”

Clarke has also developed into a leadership role. He’s wearing an ‘A’ as an alternate captain during this weekend’s Prospects Challenge in Buffalo. He’s already tallied a power-play goal through two contests.

“I see him out there shooting the puck and the way he’s playing, he’s another guy that’ll wear a letter for us with the upside to where his career is headed is something we’re excited about,” Dineen said.

Clarke is hoping to use the Challenge as a springboard into next week’s training camp. Regardless of where he ends up to start the season, the Devils have high hopes for his future.

“Graeme is excited. I’m excited for him,” Dineen said. “I think there is a real upside to his level and where he’s going to play. There’s another guy that I think will come in and put a stamp on the way he feels that he can help within the organization.

“I’m all in on believing that he’s going to really do a great job no matter where he is this year.”