David Clarkson, born on March 31, 1984, is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He played 10 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Columbus Blue Jackets. This article delves into his career, highlighting key moments and statistics.
Early Career and NHL Debut
Following his junior ice hockey career, Clarkson went undrafted and was signed as a free agent by the New Jersey Devils on August 12, 2005. He was assigned to the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League (AHL) in September for the 2005-06 AHL season.
Clarkson made his NHL debut on March 15, 2007, on the road against the Carolina Hurricanes. One game later, he scored his first NHL goal against John Grahame in a 7-2 loss to Carolina at home.
New Jersey Devils (2007-2013)
He played in 81 games in the 2007-08 season with the Devils, registering 9 goals and 22 points. During that season, Clarkson led his team in penalty minutes (183).
Clarkson played in the YoungStars Game during the 56th NHL All-Star Game SuperSkills Competition, scoring one goal and two assists. He was the lone Devils' representative at the festivities, as Martin Brodeur (who had been voted into the All-Star Team) was unable to participate.
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On July 1, as a restricted free agent, Clarkson was re-signed by the Devils for two years at $800,000 per year.
Clarkson played in all 82 games during the 2008-09 season, scoring 17 goals. The following season, Clarkson played in only 46 games, missing a large part of the year with a broken leg. He scored 11 goals and 24 points.
Clarkson broke out in the 2011-12 season under head coach Peter DeBoer, who had coached him in Kitchener.
Toronto Maple Leafs (2013-2015)
An unrestricted free agent, Clarkson did not re-sign with the Devils during the off-season, instead signing a seven-year, $36.75 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 5, 2013.
On September 22, 2013, a brawl erupted during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres during which Clarkson left the bench to fight. He subsequently received an automatic ten-game suspension from the NHL.
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There were high expectations in Toronto that Clarkson would score 20 to 30 goals based on his contract.
Clarkson made his debut with the Maple Leafs on October 26, 2013 in a 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He scored his first goal with Toronto against the New York Islanders's goalie Kevin Poulin on November 20.
Clarkson was suspended for a second time that season, sitting out two games after hitting Vladimir Sobotka of the St. Louis Blues in the head. He ended his first season in Toronto with 5 goals and 11 points in 60 games.
During the 2014-15 pre-season, Clarkson fought Cody McCormick and suffered a facial injury that required visiting a specialist.
Columbus Blue Jackets (2015-2017)
In the midst of his second season with the Maple Leafs, unable to establish a level of play to match his contract and plagued by injuries, Clarkson was traded by Toronto to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Nathan Horton on February 26, 2015.
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Healthy scratches and injuries would hold Clarkson to only 26 games with the Blue Jackets over the next year and a half, registering only 4 points.
Wayne Simmonds vs David Clarkson Oct 8, 2011
Here’s a summary of Clarkson's NHL statistics:
| Season | Team | Games Played | Goals | Assists | Points | Penalty Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-08 | New Jersey Devils | 81 | 9 | 13 | 22 | 183 |
| 2008-09 | New Jersey Devils | 82 | 17 | 9 | 26 | 174 |
| 2009-10 | New Jersey Devils | 46 | 11 | 13 | 24 | 112 |
| 2013-14 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 60 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 88 |
| 2014-15 | Toronto/Columbus | 34 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 45 |
| 2015-16 | Columbus Blue Jackets | 23 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 26 |
Personal Life
Clarkson was born in Etobicoke, Ontario, growing up in the Mimico neighbourhood. He and his wife Brittney have five children - three daughters and two sons. The family resides in Castle Pines, Colorado.