A few years from now, Brandt Clarke might be able to brag he took the Auston Matthews path to the NHL by playing in Europe during his draft year. “He kind of went over voluntarily,” Clarke said. “I went over out of desperation.” Clarke and other 2021 draft-eligible prospects didn't have much of a choice but to divert to a different path this season when their leagues couldn't stage a season because of the pandemic.
He was supposed to play for Barrie in the Ontario Hockey League, which on Tuesday abandoned plans to play this season, a move that plunged countless young players into uncertainty during a year that has put a dent in hockey's developmental pipeline. “There’s a lot of my friends in my age group that didn’t play this season, and,