Brandt Clarke

Brandt Clarke (born February 9, 2003) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted eighth overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. In November 2021, Brandt was named Captain of the Barrie Colts for the 2021–22 OHL season, becoming the 22nd captain in Colts history.

Playing career
On April 6, 2019 and marking the end of his high-profile minor hockey career, Clarke was drafted in the first round, fourth overall in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection to play major junior hockey with the Barrie Colts. Playing as a rookie for the Barrie Colts in what turned out to be the COVID-19-shortened 2019–20 season, Clarke led all rookie OHL defensemen, scoring six goals and 32 assists and he was considered a lock to go in the first round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. At the conclusion of the 2019–20 season, Clarke was named to the OHL First All-Rookie Team, as selected by the OHL's General Managers.

In the following season (2020–21) when the entire OHL regular season was cancelled due to COVID-19, Clarke was able to continue his development in Slovakia, playing with his brother Graeme on loan to HC Nové Zámky of the Tipsport Liga, scoring five goals with ten assists while playing a partial season of only 26 games.

On July 23, 2021, Clarke was selected in the first-round, eighth overall, by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Clarke was soon signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Kings on August 10, 2021.

In the NHL season, Clarke made his NHL regular-season debut for the Los Angeles Kings in a home game against the Seattle Kraken on October 13, 2022. Clarke collected his first career NHL point, an assist, during a road game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 20, 2022, making Clarke the seventh youngest defenceman and 18th youngest player in Kings history to record a point. When in Los Angeles, Clarke – then the NHL's second-youngest defenseman during the 2022–23 season – billeted at the home of Jonathan Quick, the Kings' goaltender and oldest player at that time. During the 2022–23 season, Clarke played 21 competitive games, split between the Kings (9 NHL games), Ontario Reign (5 AHL games) and Team Canada (7 IIHF World Junior Championship games), on top of 12 exhibition games at a variety of elite levels, before being re-assigned on January 6, 2023 by the Los Angeles Kings to the Barrie Colts for the remainder of the 2022–23 OHL season. Clarke earned 61 points in just 31 regular-season games with the Barrie Colts and he tied the franchise record for regular-season goals in a single season by a defenceman (23 goals) while also becoming the franchise's all-time regular-season scoring leader amongst defencemen (158 points). He was subsequently named to both the OHL and CHL's First All-Star Teams.

Clarke played with the Ontario Reign for the bulk of the 2023–24 season. He and his brother Graeme were both selected for the 2024 AHL All-Star Game, the second pair of brothers to attend the game together after Peter and Chris Ferraro in 1997 and 2003. He finished the regular season with 10 goals and 36	assists in 50 games, and was named to both the All-Rookie and Second All-Star Teams.

On February 17, 2024, Clarke scored his first NHL goal, an overtime goal, to give the Kings a 5–4 victory over the Boston Bruins. He appeared in sixteen games with the Kings during the 2023–24 season, registering two goals and four assists.

International play
Clarke won Gold playing for Team Canada in the 2021 IIHF World U18 Championships, averaging a point-per-game. The tournament was held in Frisco, Texas, USA from April 26, 2021 to May 6, 2021. Clarke was named to the tournament All-Star team, as selected by the media.

Clarke was selected to participate in Hockey Canada's National Junior Team Summer Camp (held in Calgary, Alberta from July 23-27, 2022) for the 2023 National Junior Team that participated in the 2023 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships that was held in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada from December 26, 2022 to January 5, 2023. On December 7, 2022, it was announced that the L.A. Kings loaned Clarke to Canada’s world junior hockey team ahead of its Selection Camp for the 2023 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.

On December 12, 2022, Clarke was named to Team Canada to compete at the 2023 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. During the tournament, Clarke scored two goals and recorded six assists in seven games, including an assist on the final game-winning goal in overtime. Team Canada won the gold medal in overtime against Czechia on January 5, 2023.

Playing style
Clarke has been described as a high-quality defensive player with excellent defensive stick control and tactical positioning. He has been considered a new-era defenseman best known for his offensive capabilities and his eagerness and creativity while breaking out of the defensive zone and participating actively in the offensive zone.

Personal life
Clarke was born into an athletic family, as both his siblings and father have played ice hockey. His father Chris played junior hockey in Southern Ontario, his sister Mackenzie plays for St. Lawrence University, and his older brother Graeme is currently a Minnesota Wild prospect.