The Los Angeles Kings announced that defenseman Brandt Clarke would not return to last night’s game with an upper-body injury.
That injury came at 11:15 of the second period, following a dump-in by the Kings’ Thursday night opponent, the Ottawa Senators. Forward Hayden Hodgson, speeding into the opposite corner of his zone entry, committed his left elbow to the head of Clarke, which slammed into the corner boards.
Hodgson received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct. Clarke willed himself to one knee following the collision and later skated off, but was visibly maimed by the hit.
Clarke played 11:37 of ice time, registering an assist prior to the injury in the Kings’ 6-5 overtime win over Ottawa. Head coach Peter Laviolette did not provide an update on the situation in the postgame.
Los Angeles has become pretty injury-ridden to start their 2026-27 season up front. Forwards Mats Zuccarello, Alex Turcotte, and Kevin Fiala are all currently on injured reserve with their respective timelines surely to end soon; however, as these injuries heal among the offensive group, it would be salt in the wound to see Clarke out for any extended period of play for this Kings group, given the composure he brings to their blue line and overall lineup.
Clarke currently ranks second on the Kings in scoring with three goals for nine points in his first 12 games to start this season, and that production is coming while playing 19:04 of ice time per game, ranking sixth on the team. Having nearly played 200 games with the franchise so far in his young age of 23, he’s scored 18 goals for 90 points, ninth among Kings since he entered the league in 2022.
LA isn’t paying him $7.4MM a season just for his scoring, though; his defense has shone, blocking 355 shots, second in that same span among Kings.
The Kings committed $37MM to Clarke this past offseason, signing him to a five-year extension that’ll expire in 2030-31. Surely he will become the team’s highest-paid defenseman by then, depending on the next contract of longtime King, Drew Doughty, who makes $11MM with one year remaining on his current deal.
Formerly selected 8th overall by Los Angeles in 2021, he’s cemented himself into a future top-2 team option on defense that the organization can add around his calm offensive decisiveness. Scoring 33 points in 78 games in 2023-24 and 40 points in 82 games last season, the Crown will surely be his for the taking on this squad whenever he returns.
This story will be updated.