Graeme Clarke
New Team: Minnesota Wild
Graeme Clarke was a top prospect in the New Jersey Devils system for a while. It was time to give him his second contract, but the Devils didn’t see a path forward for him on this team. The Devils have done this before, like when they traded Thompson and Walsh when it was clear they didn’t have a spot on the roster. Many were upset with the trade, as Clarke was one of the better forwards who were at the Devils fingertips.
Fans who are embedded in Devils coverage will definitely remember that Clarke got traded for fellow once-promising prospect Adam Beckman, but those who just watch the hockey games might not notice this prospect is no longer heading to Utica.
Clarke always needed a lot to go right to be a regular NHL player. First, he had to shake the injury bug that hurt his early career. Shoulder injuries kind of derailed his development. He was able to bounce back and had a 58-point season in 22-23. He did drop in points last season, and we’re not sure what the cause of that is.
It just seemed like Fitzgerald didn’t want to negotiate a new contract with Clarke. Interestingly enough, Clarke’s new contract with the Minnesota Wild ($800,000 at the NHL level, $105,000 at the AHL) would probably cost less than Beckman’s new deal ($775,000 NHL, $125,000 NHL, $150,000 guaranteed).