The Edmonton Oilers didn’t have many picks in the draft this year, but selected Connor Clattenburg with their fifth-round pick. Born and raised in Arnrior, Ontario, just outside of Ottawa, the big bodied forward is a nice addition to the Oilers’ prospect pool
Who is Connor Clattenburg?
| Position | Handedness | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| LW | Left | 6’2” | 198 lb |
The one thing to know about Clattenburg is that he’s a big, big man. He has that NHL-ready size as an overager this season in the OHL and absolutely put it to work. A punishing figure, he knew his role this season and was effective in it.
Clattenburg’s on-ice production
Since getting into the OHL last season, he hasn’t been known for his production on the ice, but rather for his intangibles. Take a look at his numbers here:
| Year | Draft Relative | League | Team | GP | G | A | P | Playoff GP | Playoff G | Playoff A | Playoff P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | D+0 | OHL | Soo Greyhounds | 56 | 2 | 8 | 10 | ||||
| 2023-24 | D+1 | OHL | Flint Firebirds | 30 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| D+1 | OHL | Soo Greyhounds | 30 | 4 | 8 | 12 |
Clattenburg saw a modest increase in his output from last season to this one, jumping up to 29 points between Soo and Flint. Not shown on this chart are his penalty minutes, which were 115 in his first season then a combined 79 this year. He brings an edge and truculence to his game that should make him a fan favourite regardless of where he plays.
Clattenburg’s strengths
Size and strength
There is remarkably little available on Clattenburg prior to this draft. As an overager with marginal offensive numbers, the odds of him being drafted this year were low. However, for a big bodied forward in a draft that prioritized size over skill, the odds were definitely far from zero.
Clattenburg brought an element of toughness all season long, and made it his mission to get in front of his opponents.
He’s also not afraid to get his hands dirty and standup for his teammates. Take a look at this video of him from when he was invited to the Ottawa Senators’ training camp last year:
Clattenburg clearly knows how to throw them when he needs to. He will undoubtedly become a fan favourite wherever he plays.
Clattenburg’s areas of improvement
Offensive upside
Being a big man is all well and good, but to make it to the NHL, you need to have more than that. Unfortunately, his numbers do not jump off the page, and being one year older than his draft class, the projections of growth in him seem limited at best. Sure he had a bump up in points this season, but to be less than a half-point-per-game in the OHL in his D+1 season is really not very good.
Even if Clattenburg lights up the OHL next year, it’ll be in his overage season, when he is two years older than those being drafted, which really doesn’t show promise the way that would be expected.
However, he is a fifth-round pick and at this point, you’re selecting based on potential. Director of Scouting Rick Pracey said that Clattenburg, “brings something different to our organization. He plays this game hard, he’s thick, he’s strong, he’s competitive.” These are all intangibles you want to see in a prospect, but more upside offensively would be good too.
Clattenburg’s next steps
Clattenburg will almost certainly be back in the OHL next season, and barring a trade, will be with the Flint Firebirds. This will be his overage season, and will likely be his last season in the league.
From there, it’s a big question mark. If he performs, there’s a chance that the Oilers sign him to an entry-level deals and he gets into the AHL. However, unless he can take a big step forward, he may just end up being a complementary player at the next level on a two-way deal.
Projection with the Oilers
Absolute best case scenario, he projects to be a fringe NHLer as a hard-hitting winger who can eat minutes on the fourth line. Realistically, he ends up being a complementary AHLer who adds size to your lineup.
