Minnesota Wild place 23-year-old winger on waivers

Clarke, 23, was originally drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the third round of the 2019 NHL Draft. He made his NHL debut with New Jersey last season, playing three games without recording a point and finishing with a -2 rating. Following the season, the Devils traded Clarke's signing rights to Minnesota in exchange for forward Adam Beckman. Clarke then signed a two-way contract with the Wild in July, worth $800K in the NHL and $105K in the AHL.

Clarke had a breakout season last year with the Utica Comets, the Devils' AHL affiliate, where he led the team in goals (25) and tallied 49 points in 67 games, earning him an All-Star nod. Over four seasons in the AHL, he recorded 149 points in 218 games. He's also the older brother of Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke.

There may be some interest from other teams due to Clarke's strong minor-league scoring record, but it's more likely he'll clear waivers and join the struggling Iowa Wild. Interestingly, Iowa and Utica are the only winless teams in the AHL, with Iowa currently sitting at 0-6-1 and being outscored 36-18 through seven games.

Clarke, who sustained an injury late in Minnesota's preseason, will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer.