The 2023-24 NHL season is still officially a month away, yet we already have our first medical news to report. Mayor’s Manor has confirmed that rookie defenseman and top prospect Brandt Clarke will not travel with the LA Kings to Australia due to an upper body injury.
BREAKING NEWS
Hearing rookie d-man/top prospect Brandt Clarke will not travel with the LA Kings to Australia. He has an injury that requires 7-10 days without contact. Will skate in LA in the meantime. After careful consideration, it was determined best to stay back and treat.
— The Mayor | Team MM (@mayorNHL) September 16, 2023
Clarke was originally scheduled to leave with the team late Saturday, as they head Down Under to begin training camp in the days ahead. The club also has a pair of exhibition games next weekend in Melbourne vs. the Coyotes.
Originally selected eighth overall at the 2021 Draft, the now 20-year-old blueliner is looking to crack the NHL lineup after another phenomenal year in the OHL — where he put up 61 points in 31 games after returning from earlier stints with Team Canada at the World Junior championships and stops in AHL Ontario, along with nine games as a member of the Kings last season.
From what we’ve been able to gather, the injury is not serious and he should be able to rejoin the team later in camp. Assuming he does, Clarke will be in competition with Jordan Spence for an NHL roster spot.
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So it begins…