Forgotten Pack Members: Adam Clendening
The veteran blueliner ended his most recent North American season with a stint in Hartford.
It's summertime in Hartford, which unfortunately means no hockey. With two months to go until the Hartford Wolf Pack open training camp and three until opening night, I thought it would be fun to take a look back at some of the random, yet notable, players who suited up for the Wolf Pack in recent years.
Welcome to the first installment of Forgotten Pack Members.
In March of 2023, the New York Rangers were gearing up for an anticipated deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. General manager Chris Drury added star wingers Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko to help bolster the playoff push.
At the same time, the Hartford Wolf Pack sought a return to the Calder Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2015. The team sat in last place in a tightly-contested Atlantic Division, but Drury and assistant general manager Ryan Martin reshaped the Hartford core. Anton Blidh, Will Lockwood, and Wyatt Kalynuk were among the names brought in, but the most notable addition was veteran defenseman - and former Ranger - Adam Clendening. Let's look back on Clendening's brief tenure in the Connecticut capital.
Career Review
After recording 26 points in 39 games as a freshman at Boston University, Clendening was selected in the second round (#36 overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks. Clendening would play one more season with the Terriers, increasing his offensive output to 33 points in 38 games, before turning pro and signing with Chicago.
Clendening quickly established himself as an offensive force from the blueline at the AHL level. During his rookie season, played with Chicago's AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, Clendening tallied 46 points, good for fifth on the team. The next year, he led the IceHogs with 59 points, a figure which was also second-best among defensemen across the league.
