’16 Draft: Cam Clarke talks being drafted by Boston and his dad’s serendipitious jersey purchase
By @MichaelCaples –
Cameron Clarke wasn’t in Buffalo for the 2016 NHL Draft.
There was no need, because Clarke, a fifth-round pick of the Bruins, already had a Boston jersey with the name ‘Clarke’ and the number 16 on it – just like the ones players in attendance receive on the draft floor.
The serendipitous story about the jersey, however, is that the B’s sweater is not a recent purchase.
In fact, it’s older than Clarke.
“My dad was a Boston fan growing up, so he bought that jersey 30 years ago,” Clarke told MiHockey in a post-draft interview. “It had his name on it, and it says No. 16, just like the jerseys they give to the kids when they go up on stage at the draft. It was pretty ironic that we just happened to have that jersey in our house.
“My mom found it and it was just kind of weird – meant to be, I guess. My dad got it 30 years ago, and then I would get drafted, it’s just like the draft jersey – it’s pretty cool.”
Clarke, a Ferris State commit, was at home with the rest of his family when Boston selected him with the No. 136 overall pick. The Tecumseh native used a hockey moment to describe the scene in the Clarke household.
“My family was at home, we were watching it on the TV and just kind of kept looking up. We were just talking and stuff, and then finally it popped up, and it was a pretty cool feeling to see my name up there.
“It was kind of like you scored an overtime goal, everyone jumped around in excitement. It was pretty cool.”
And his dad – the owner of the No. 16 Bruins jersey – was thrilled with Clarke’s new team.
“Yeah, he was pretty overwhelmed,” Clarke said. “He knew how hard I worked to get there, and he was pretty excited about how I overcame a lot of obstacles to get there, and he was just pretty happy.”
Clarke spent last season with the NAHL’s Lone Star Brahmas, playing 1,124 miles away from his hometown (and 1,795 miles away from the home of the Boston Bruins). Traveling had already become the norm for him, however; after playing for Compuware in 2010-11, Clarke played for the Toledo Cherokee 16U AAA team in 2012-13, the West Michigan Hounds 18U team in 2013-14 and the Sarnia Legionnaires of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League in 2014-15.
The Brahmas claimed Clarke in the third round of the 2015 NAHL Draft, and he seized the opportunity. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound blueliner posted nine goals and 41 assists for 50 total points in 59 NAHL games, winning the NAHL’s defenseman of the year award in the process.
“I think, for me, I kind of came out of nowhere,” Clarke said. “Not a lot of people knew about me going into this year with Lone Star, and my coaches down there, Dan Wildfong and Jeff Potter, were amazing. They give us all the tools we need to succeed down there. The league has some good hockey players and it’s a good brand of hockey. It’s very tough, very defensive brand, and you’ve got to be able to be a strong player and be fast and play fast, because it’s a high level, it’s kind of like college hockey. I had a great time in Texas, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It was a great experience.”
The Bruins took notice of Clarke’s play, giving the Tecumseh native the idea that they may just call his name in the 2016 NHL Draft.
“I talked to them twice throughout the year, so I knew they were a team that was watching and showed a little interest,” Clarke said. “When their name came up on the screen, I held my breath a little bit. They had watched a couple of my games and they were interested, so I knew it was possibility; I’m just happy I’m going to a great organization like them, it’s awesome.”
Clarke understands that he is one of the lucky few players selected by an Original Six franchise.
“Any time you can get picked by an NHL team is great, but to be picked by an Original Six franchise just makes it that much sweeter,” he said. “They have so much history, so many Stanley Cups and great players that have been in the organization and a great fan base – it’s an awesome feeling to know I was picked by a place with such great history and great management and they’re right up there usually every year, so hopefully that will be the case when I get there.”
Before he ends up in Boston, however, Clarke will be heading to Ferris State to play for Bob Daniels and the Bulldogs. The reigning WCHA champions will have Clarke in the line-up as a freshman defenseman for the 2016-17 season.
“I’ve been up there a couple times this summer and met with the coaches, and they have a great staff and we’re going to have a great team next year I think,” Clarke said. “It’s a great place to play up there, and they’re always one of the top teams in the WCHA, so I’m hoping to get a title there and hopefully get to play in the NCAA Tournament next year. I’m really excited.”