Claimed: Les Clarke Biography

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Les Clarke

 

Hailing out of Quebec City, Quebec, hockey came naturally to the Clarke family. Les' family grew up with the WHA and NHL incarnations of the Nordiques. His parents were season ticket holders from the inaugural season. However, Les was born a year prior to the Nordiques being relocated to Colorado. As the Clarke family raised their young boy without a proper NHL team to support, (and not once considering moving over to become Canadiens supporters) it would be a tougher introduction to Les than other kids in Canada.

 

Mr. Clarke took young Les to the newly ressurected Quebec Remparts' home games once he was old enough to sit and appreciate the game of hockey. However, without the fan fare and all-star appeal of the NHL being absent, Les was not very impressed. Perhaps hockey wasn't going to be a part of his life, they thought. Les was an average student, never wowing or impressing teachers. Despite that, his parents were proud, no matter where their boy would go.

 

It wasn't until one day a young Les was flipping through the channels one Sunday afternoon. A Tie Domi fight that he caught a glimpse of had him trying to find that channel again. Domi's pompous and aggressive nature reeled him in, like a moth drawn to a flame. With the rough and tumble style of power forwards during the 90's, this was exactly what Les needed in order to find his niche, and his eventual career path.

 

 

As Les finally fell in love with the game, he started to learn the old and new way the game is played. His adolescent years became the initial kickoff period for the faster and more skilled breed of players. Standing at 6'5", Les kept falling behind in those two departments. Many early morning and late night practice sessions with minor league coaches proved to not have much effect on his development.

 

It was around this time when Les needed to find a position. Naturally, coaches would refer the kid to play defenseman. But his love for power forwards kept him away from truly putting in his all during games. This became evident to Les' father. One night at the rink while Les was working on shots from the point, Mr. Clarke kept a close watch on his son, noticing his less than stellar results, and the lack of motivation. Mr. Clarke made the approach to Les to begin his transition to a forward. Les was weary at first, thinking that his desire to be forward over a defenseman would deter coaches from playing him all together. When the chance to play forward was given, he ran with it, and hasn't looked back since.

 

Watching players like Wayne Simmonds, Milan Lucic, and Brad Marchand, the young Les modeled his game after these NHL All-Star power forwards of the modern era. Trying to shake off the old fashioned way of power fowards, his game molded and morphed into the aforementioned players. His junior years were upon him, with high regard for the tough winger. Being paired with highly skilled players, the number 18 right winger was always a force to be reckoned with. He made sure his line mates were protected from other team's grinders, as he would try to do the same to the opposing team's scorers. 

 

His junior career didn't prove to impressive to many. He went two NHL Entry Drafts undrafted and overlooked. Not even a free agent contract was sent to Clarke's way. Lost and directionless, Clarke was sure this was the end of his hockey career. Perhaps his stone hands and his slow stride kept him from an NHL contract. It was probably his short fuse temper that resulted in many idle minutes in the penalty box. Despite all that, Les kept on playing, for the love of it. Out of the group of players in beer leagues, Les stood out. He was the fastest, he had the best hands, and he scored the most points. His teammates and opponents were left dumbfounded that a guy as skilled as him could be left out of the NHL. Word started to spread around town about Les Clarke, and the hidden diamond in the rough.

 

The Alex Staal Player Agency had seen it's better years. After being inactive for nearly two years, not being able to attract any clientele, the office shut its doors and laid in waste.A beer league goalie that was beat on a breakaway by Clarke couldn't believe what had just happened. Number 33 goaltender Blaine Olynick found Clarke after the game, and wondered what he was doing in beer leagues. It was almost fate. From there, Olynick was able to call his former agent, Alex Staal, and paired the two. Both being without a vision and directionless, it started to pay off well. They were just what each other needed in order to find their step and fulfill their purpose in life. With the connections the agency has to the Victory Hockey League, Clarke was able to rejuvenate his career in ways he never thought possible. He had attended Quebec City Meute games in the past, but after his failing attempt at the NHL, he assumed the VHL would be out of reach as well. He gained lots of attention, once word had spread that the winger would be eligible for the upcoming VHL Entry Draft. VHLM teams sent offers to Clarke's camp and he settled on joining the Saskatoon Blades. 

 

In an offensive heavy league, Clarke was afraid his play would be useless. But when there's a lot of offensive, there comes a time where defense and physicality needs to be brought into play. That's what makes Les Clarke valuable to VHL teams. Clarke will most likely never shatter any records, or lead the league in goals or points. Right now, representing his country in a World Cup tournament is an afterthought to him. The opportunity to get a second chance at life is more than enough for Les Clarke. What he lacks in skill and speed, he makes up in the passion and love he shows for the game he plays every night.

 

 

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Miles <3

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