Maybe Later: Kody Clark
5 years ago
Who is Kody Clark?
If you saw his name and thought “hey, wonder if that’s Wendel Clark’s son”, then your instincts are spot on. While scouts seem to agree that Kody isn’t much like his dad, hockey still runs in the family. Kody grew up playing in Toronto, and obviously it would be really cool for their family if the Leafs drafted him next weekend. But should they? Yeah, maybe!
At 6’1” and 176 lbs, Kody still has some growing to do, and he has another two junior eligible years. Currently with the Ottawa 67’s, Clark spent most of 2017-18 (his second OHL season) on the second line, taking on the toughest matchups and ending the season with 39 points in 56 games. He was invited to the CHL Top Prospects game, but was unable to participate due to injury.
Although Clark has a lot of skill with the puck and is an above-average skater, other areas of his game could use some improvement. He hasn’t shown himself to be as “gritty” of a player as his dad, but if he maintains and improves his current skillset and continues to get stronger, he projects as a pretty solid bottom-six NHL forward.
Where is Clark ranked?
#55 by FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS
#71 by ISS HOCKEY
#138 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
#34 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (NA Skaters)
#77 by CANUCKS ARMY
#71 by ISS HOCKEY
#138 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
#34 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (NA Skaters)
#77 by CANUCKS ARMY
What do the numbers say about Clark?
While Clark’s production has never been eye-popping, he had a good 2017-18 campaign with a mediocre Ottawa team, putting up 39 points even with tough assignments. Clark got some time on the powerplay as well as the penalty kill, and he may have been struggling with a lingering injury later in the year which affected his play. For a much more detailed look at his numbers, I recommend checking out his Canucks Army profile from a few weeks ago.
The Eye Test
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What’s been said about Clark?
OHL Writers:
He plays a very good two-way game with a solid work ethic in all three zones… While he doesn’t have his father’s superb shot, he does have an excellent shot and release of his own. He has no hesitation in driving the net with or without the puck. Once he gets stronger and his skating continues to improve, he could become a force that is hard to contain. Clark is also excellent in puck possession skills and probably one of the harder players to strip the puck from in this class. He controls and protects the puck like a seasoned NHL veteran. He plays an excellent cycle game as well.
Why should the Leafs draft Kody Clark?
Most rankings have Clark going in the third or fourth round, which means the Leafs could definitely afford take a chance on him. Even though the best draft strategy is to take the best available player, by the time it’s round three or four, the waters get a little muddy. Who’s to say if Clark will be the best player available when the Leafs are picking Saturday, but if they see something in him they like, Clark would be a good forward to have in the system.
MLN Draft #Content
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