Defenseman Brandt Clarke turned down the opportunity to test free agency and instead committed his future to the Los Angeles Kings on Friday, agreeing to a five-year contract worth $37 million.
The deal comes on the heels of Clarke’s strongest offensive campaign to date. In the 2025-26 season, the 23-year-old tallied 40 points, topping his previous career-best of 33 points set in 2024-25. Among Kings defensemen, he ranked second in assists with 32 and fourth overall on the team in points.
Now in his fourth NHL season — all spent with Los Angeles — Clarke averaged 19 minutes and 48 seconds of ice time per game, placing him behind only Drew Doughty and Mikey Anderson among Kings blueliners. He also made his presence felt on defense, recording 185 blocked shots, which ranked third across the entire NHL. In the Stanley Cup playoffs, he contributed one point over four games.
Looking at his career totals, Clarke has accumulated 81 points — 15 goals and 66 assists — across 185 regular-season contests since Los Angeles selected him with the eighth overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. In 10 career playoff appearances, he has posted three points, including two goals and one assist.
