News release from the Ontario Hockey League
Los Angeles Kings prospect Brandt Clarke of the Barrie Colts is the OHL Player of the Week, recording five goals, six assists and 11 points in three games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-9.
Clarke started off his week with a pair of goals and assists on Wednesday, including the game-tying goal as the Colts fell to the Mississauga Steelheads 6-5 in a shootout. He found the scoresheet again on Friday, recording two helpers including one on Ethan Cardwell's overtime winner as the Colts defeated the Owen Sound Attack 5-4. Clarke extended his current point streak to 15 games with a career-high five point night on Sunday, finishing with a hat trick, two assists and first star honours in a high-scoring 11-4 win over the Niagara IceDogs.
A 20-year-old from Nepean, Ont., Clarke leads the OHL with 1.97 points-per-game, recording 59 points (21-38--59) through 30 games since returning from winning gold with Canada at the World Juniors. Clarke has produced a franchise record 156 career points (38-118--156) by a Colts defenceman, doing so in 142 regular season games. Now in his third season with Barrie, Clarke was voted to the League’s second all-star team in 2021-22, recording 59 points (11-48–59) in 55 games. The blueliner was Barrie’s first round (4th overall) pick in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection from the Don Mills Flyers U16 program. He was a first round (8th overall) pick of the Los Angeles Kings in the 2021 NHL Draft, and signed a three-year entry level NHL contract with the club on Aug. 10, 2021. He played in nine games with Los Angeles earlier this season, recording two assists in the process.
Also considered for the award this week, Braeden Bowman of the Guelph Storm produced three goals, seven assists, 10 points and a shootout winner in three victories last week. Overage captain Mitchell Smith of the Saginaw Spirit contributed four goals, including his first career hat trick and an overtime winner, along with three assists for seven points in three games played.
