Kale Clague Explained

Kale Clague
Position:Defence
Shoots:Left
Height Ft:6
Height In:0
Weight Lb:176
Team:Buffalo Sabres
League:NHL
Prospect League:AHL
Former Teams:Los Angeles Kings
Montreal Canadiens
Birth Date:5 June 1998
Birth Place:Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Career Start:2018
Draft:51st overall
Draft Year:2016
Draft Team:Los Angeles Kings

Kale Clague (born June 5, 1998) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the second round, 51st overall, by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. Clague has also previously played for the Montreal Canadiens.

Early life

Clague was born on June 5, 1998, in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada to parents Jason and Juanita.[1] His father was a goaltender for the 2000-2001 Lloydminster Border Kings which was inducted into the Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame.[2] His uncle Trevor Hanas is also involved in ice hockey; he played five seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL) before a brief minor professional career.[3] Growing up, he attended Holy Rosary High School and won the Brick Invitational Hockey Tournament.[4]

Playing career

Growing up in Alberta, Clague played both ice hockey and baseball.[1] He helped the Lloydminster Twins Peewee AA team win the Western Canadian Baseball Championship in 2010[1] and won the Alberta Peewee Provincial Championship.[3] During his bantam career, Clague established a new scoring record for defencemen in the provinces bantam AAA ranks with 35 goals and 77 points in 33 games. His scoring record surpassed former Toronto Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf who had 65 points.[5] He was subsequently named to the AMHL First All-Star Team in 2013–14 and captained Alberta to a gold medal at the 2013 Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup.[1] During this time, Clague was drafted sixth overall of the Brandon Wheat Kings in the 2013 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft.[6]

Major junior

Clague competed in four pre-season games with the Wheat Kings during their 2013–14 season, where he recorded two goals and five points, before being returned to the Alberta Midget Hockey League.[7] He eventually rejoined the WHL to compete with the Wheat Kings in the 2014 WHL Playoffs.[8] At the age of 16, Clague made his rookie season debut with the Wheat Kings but a series of injuries limited him to 20 games. When reflecting on the year, Clague said "It was hard to overcome those injuries and it sucked to sit out all those games. But I worked hard with our trainer in Brandon and got healthy again and ready for this [2015–16] year."[9]

Following his disappointing rookie season, Clague increased his offensive output and recorded 43 points in 71 regular-season games and played in the 2016 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. By the conclusion of the playoffs, he tied for second among WHL defensemen in scoring with 14 points in 21 games. As a result, Clague was drafted in the second round, 51st overall, by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.[10] He joined the Kings for their 2016 development camp but suffered a leg injury and was forced to leave early. The injury came when an Arizona Coyotes prospect hit him and he fell awkwardly into the end boards.[11] Upon returning to the WHL, Clague was named one of the Wheat Kings alternate captains for the 2016–17 season.[12]

Clague began his final full season with the Wheat Kings by earning WHL Player of the Week for the week ending October 23, 2016. The honour came after he registered six points in his first two games of the season following his leg injury.[13] As a result of his play during the remainder of the season, Clague signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Kings on March 6, 2017. At the time of the signing, he led team defenseman in points and assists and ranked second in goals with five.[14] Following this, he was also named an WHL Eastern Conference First Team All-Star.[15]

During the 2017 offseason, Clague was again invited to participate in the Los Angeles Kings' rookie and training camp.[16] While with the Kings, he participated in two preseason games against the Anaheim Ducks and Vegas Golden Knights.[17] By January, Clague had recorded 47 points in 28 games tying defenceman David Quenneville for the league scoring lead among defenceman. On January 17, leading up to the 2018 WHL Trade Deadline, Clague was traded to the Moose Jaw Warriors in exchange for Luka Burzan, Chase Hartje, a second-round pick in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft, and first-round picks in the 2019 and 2021 drafts.[18]

Professional

Clague made his NHL debut with the Los Angeles Kings on December 21, 2019, against the Buffalo Sabres. From there, he appeared in three more games during his first NHL call-up where he averaged 14:34 time on ice per game.[19] Upon returning to the AHL, Clague was named to the 2020 AHL All-Star Game for the first time. At the time of his selection, he led team defensemen in points with 16 in 33 games.[20]

When the NHL resumed playing for the 2020–21 season, Clague was named to the Kings' opening night roster.[21] On August 6, 2021, Clague signed a one-year extension with the Kings worth an annual value of $761,250 at the NHL level.[22]

In the following 2021–22 season, Clague was assigned by Los Angeles to begin the year in the AHL with the Ontario Reign. On dual recalls to the Kings, Clague registered 5 assists through 11 games before he was placed on waivers and claimed by the Montreal Canadiens on December 4, 2021.[23]

As a free agent from the Canadiens, Clague was signed by the Buffalo Sabres on a one-year, two-way contract on July 13, 2022.[24]

International play

Clague competed in the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge for Team Black, recording one goal in four games. He later won gold with Canada at the 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, where he scored one goal in four games.[25] Clague returned to Team Canada in 2017 as an assistant captain[26] to help them win a silver medal at the 2017 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.[27]

In his final year qualifying for the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, Clague was again selected to compete with Canada where he won a gold medal.[28] Hockey Canada launched into high-profile allegations of group sexual assault in 2018 involving World Junior players including Kale Clague.

Player profile

Prior to becoming a professional ice hockey player, Clague described himself as "an offensive defenseman who sees the ice well and someone who works hard at defending in my own end."[4] Leading up to the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, scout John Williams described him as "an excellent skater" who "has excellent vision when moving the puck, makes a solid first pass out of the zone and is a composed player who makes good choices under pressure."[29] Clague has compared his playing style to that of Drew Doughty.[30]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2012–13Lloydminster BobcatsAMHL1011010000
2013–14 Lloydminster BobcatsAMHL311122333412211132
2013–14Brandon Wheat KingsWHL2000030002
2014–15Brandon Wheat KingsWHL2049136121234
2015–16Brandon Wheat KingsWHL7163743542168148
2016–17Brandon Wheat KingsWHL48535404141346
2017–18Brandon Wheat KingsWHL2810374735
2017–18Moose Jaw WarriorsWHL26123248141131414
2018–19Ontario ReignAHL527222934
2019–20Ontario ReignAHL498172526
2019–20Los Angeles KingsNHL40002
2020–21Los Angeles KingsNHL180664
2020–21Ontario ReignAHL2311112810110
2021–22Ontario ReignAHL50440
2021–22Los Angeles KingsNHL110552
2021–22 Montreal CanadiensNHL2523518
2022–23Rochester AmericansAHL141566
2022–23Buffalo SabresNHL3304424
2023–24Rochester AmericansAHL423202352
2023–24Buffalo SabresNHL30112
NHL totals942192152

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2014Canada BlackU177th41010
2015CanadaIH1841012
2017CanadaWJC70662
2018CanadaWJC60224
Junior totals2128108

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kale Clague . Hockey Canada . September 5, 2021.
  2. Web site: Roach . Chris . Lloydminster Border Kings will be inducted into Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame . . September 5, 2021 . January 26, 2017.
  3. Web site: TEAM CHERRY PLAYER BIO: KALE CLAGUE . Western Hockey League . September 5, 2021 . January 27, 2016.
  4. Web site: WHL DRAFT PROFILE: KALE CLAGUE . Western Hockey League . September 5, 2021 . May 1, 2013.
  5. News: Harder . Greg . Clague ready for next giant leap on road to bigs . September 5, 2021 . . May 1, 2013. newspapers.com.
  6. Web site: WHEAT KINGS CHOOSE 12 AT DRAFT . Brandon Wheat Kings . September 5, 2021 . May 2, 2013.
  7. Web site: CLAGUE RETURNS TO AAA MIDGET . Brandon Wheat Kings . September 5, 2021 . September 23, 2013.
  8. Web site: CLAGUE TO JOIN WHEAT KINGS . Brandon Wheat Kings . September 5, 2021 . March 30, 2014.
  9. Web site: Friesen . Kelly . NHL draft tracker: Kale Clague, Brandon Wheat Kings . Yahoo . September 6, 2021 . February 17, 2016.
  10. Web site: CLAGUE, KASPICK CHOSEN IN NHL DRAFT . Brandon Wheat Kings . September 6, 2021 . June 25, 2016.
  11. Web site: CLAGUE EAGER TO REJOIN MATES . Brandon Wheat Kings . September 6, 2021 . October 5, 2016.
  12. Web site: WHEAT KINGS LEADERSHIP GROUP UNVEILED . Brandon Wheat Kings . September 6, 2021 . September 30, 2016.
  13. Web site: WHEAT KING BLUELINER HONOURED . Brandon Wheat Kings . September 6, 2021 . October 25, 2016.
  14. Web site: KALE CLAGUE SIGNS WITH LOS ANGELES KINGS . Brandon Wheat Kings . September 6, 2021 . March 6, 2017.
  15. Web site: WHL ANNOUNCES 2016-17 CONFERENCE AWARD WINNERS . Brandon Wheat Kings . September 6, 2021 . March 22, 2017.
  16. Web site: 145 WHLers ATTENDING NHL CAMPS . Brandon Wheat Kings . September 6, 2021 . September 14, 2017.
  17. Web site: CLAGUE EXPECTED TO PLAY KEY ROLE IN '17-18 . Brandon Wheat Kings . September 6, 2021 . September 30, 2017.
  18. Web site: Warriors land Clague, send Burzan & Hartje to Wheaties as wild WHL Trade Deadline closes . Western Hockey League . September 6, 2021 . January 10, 2018.
  19. Web site: LA Kings Assign Kale Clague to the Ontario Reign . National Hockey League . September 6, 2021 . January 7, 2020.
  20. Web site: Jablonski . Jack . Meet the Ontario Reign's 2020 AHL All-Stars . National Hockey League . September 6, 2021 . January 22, 2020.
  21. Web site: LA Kings Announce Opening Night Roster and Taxi Squad . National Hockey League . September 6, 2021 . January 13, 2021.
  22. Web site: LA Kings Sign Defenseman Kale Clague to a One-Year Contract Extension . National Hockey League . September 6, 2021 . August 6, 2021.
  23. Web site: Canadiens claim D Clague off waivers from Kings . . December 4, 2021 . December 4, 2021.
  24. Web site: Sabres sign trio of defenseman to one-year deals . . July 13, 2022 . July 13, 2022.
  25. Web site: Kale Clague . Elite Prospects . September 6, 2021.
  26. Web site: Dube named captain, Clague an alternate for Canada's National Junior Team . Western Hockey League . September 6, 2021 . December 23, 2017.
  27. Web site: WJC 2017: Finals, Team Canada earns silver medal in shootout loss . Quebec Major Junior Hockey League . September 6, 2021 . January 6, 2017.
  28. Web site: Canada Captures Gold at 2018 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship . Canadian Hockey League . September 6, 2021 . January 5, 2018.
  29. Web site: Morreale . Mike G. . NHL Draft: Brandon's Clague offers score values . National Hockey League . September 5, 2021 . May 19, 2016.
  30. Web site: MAKING THE JUMP: KALE CLAGUE . Brandon Wheat Kings . September 6, 2021 . July 31, 2014.