BLOG: Clattenburg hoping to carry forward his energetic role into NHL debut

SUNRISE, FL – Connor Clattenburg couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

He was heading to the NHL.

The 20-year-old first-year professional with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors was just getting started with his game-day routine on the road in Ontario, California on Friday morning when he got tapped on the shoulder by Oilers Assistant GM Keith Gretzky, who told him to go get packed and get ready.

He was about to get on a cross-continental flight to Florida to make his NHL debut.

“I didn't believe it at all, but it was pretty surreal,” Clattenburg said.

Before leaving, Clattenburg was congratulated by his Condors teammates, who’ve observed first-hand in a small sample size of games this season just how impactful he can be in firing up the bench, having picked up 59 penalty minutes over 15 AHL games as a guy who can bring energy anywhere he goes.

“They're super excited, and the guys in Bakersfield were celebrating for me and they're all texting me,” he said. “It was good to see the guys again that I saw at camp.”

The same goes for his now-Oilers teammates and coaches after he impressed in three exhibition contests in Edmonton earlier this season. Now, he’s poised to bring that energy to the big leagues, and his competitiveness is exactly what Head Coach Knoblauch thinks will bring him up to speed quickly in his first NHL game.

"He understands that maybe he's not the fastest player or most skilled, but he's very competitive," Knoblauch said. "And what most of this game's about is compete. He's willing to battle and do all the little things that will give him an edge to be able to play in this league, so he's definitely earned it – not only what he did in Bakersfield, but coming in here for training camp and the exhibition games. The way he played was very noticeable, so we're very happy for him."

Clattenburg said that it didn’t fully dawn on him that he was going to make his NHL debut on Saturday until he called his parents, making for an incredible moment that sank in the experience of being called up for his first game in the big leagues.

“When I phoned my dad, I told him right away, and just hearing it from his voice was kind of like, ‘Wow, this is happening.’ So it's been pretty cool. It was just instant tears, and the same from my mom, too. They're just thrilled for me.”

In his first full season of pro hockey, Clattenburg has already made waves with his energetic, physical and commanding game that's put the AHL's Pacific Division on notice – having recently dropped the gloves three times and recording 26 PIMs in a 6-3 win over the Coachella Valley Firebirds last Saturday.

"That was a pretty crazy night," Clattenburg said with a smirk. "I don't even know what went on there, but I was just playing a hard game and guys came after me every hit. It was tons of fun, got the fans into it, and it helped the team win the game."

That's a role that Clattenburg clearly isn't shy to fulfill for his team, and it's put him on a path to play in the NHL for the first time one week later.

"[My game's] obviously got me here today and playing in this game tonight, and it's just something I found during my career and just carried it with me," Clattenburg said. "It's just something I enjoy doing for the team and everyone around me, so let's continue to do that."

While Oilers Head Coach Kris Knoblauch joked that they're not expecting him to drop the gloves three times tonight in an empassioned rematch of the 2024 & 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers, that energy and physicality is exactly what they're looking for him to bring to their lineup.

"We just want the physicality, the hitting, getting in the forecheck and just playing that type of game," the bench boss said. "We could have got somebody who'd maybe been scoring more in Bakersfield, but that player's not going to be playing that same kind of role here. He's been doing very well down there, wanting to be noticed and wanting to impact his team, and we need that energy."

The Arnprior, ON product has developed a reputation – and a livelihood – of stepping up for his teammates whenever needed after being a fifth-round pick (150th overall) by the Oilers at the 2024 NHL Draft and a tenth-round pick by the Soo Greyhounds in the 2021 OHL Draft.

Those are long-shot odds, but he's outperformed all of them to get to where he is today, and he's not taking the moment for granted.

"Ever since going to the OHL, being the 10th round pick, I was like, 'Where's this going?'," he said. "I never imagined that two years after being drafted I'd be playing my first game, but I just got to take this moment in and play with all my heart tonight."