The Los Angeles Kings have recalled Kale Clague for the first time in his career, reassigning Paul Ladue to the Ontario Reign in the meantime. Clague, 21, is in his second professional season with the Kings organization after an outstanding junior career that saw him win two medals at the World Juniors (one gold, one silver as part of Team Canada), gold at the Hlinka-Gretzky tournament and earn the WHL Top Defenseman award in 2018.
The left-handed Clague was selected 51st overall in 2016 but has found plenty of success so far with Ontario, scoring 44 points in 79 games over his first two seasons. Though there is still room for development in the young defenseman, he’ll get a crack at the NHL for the first time.
- Speaking of young defense prospects, the Montreal Canadiens seem confident that Alexander Romanov will indeed come over to join their organization after his KHL contract ends this season. That’s what GM Marc Bergevin expressed to reporters today after recently visiting with Romanov in Russia. The 19-year old is under contract through April 2020 with CSKA Moscow.
- That’s not the only young KHL player who might be coming to the Atlantic Division. Luke Fox of Sportsnet reports that the Toronto Maple Leafs have shown interest in KHL goaltender Timur Bilyalov. The 5’10” netminder has been outstanding this season for Kazan Ak-Bars, posting a .957 save percentage through 16 games. He’ll turn 25 before the end of this season, but could potentially add some depth to a Maple Leafs goaltending depth chart that currently has a sizable gap between starter Frederik Andersen and 21-year old top prospect Joseph Woll.
How do the Maple Leaves have so much interest in guys they have no cap space to sign?
Ahh,,,,,this is for the future, not this year