QMJHL: Clarke hopes odyssey has come to a happy end in Gatineau

After four previous stops in the QMJHL, Garrett Clarke thinks that he has found a home with the Gatineau Olympiques.

That's exactly what the well-travelled 19-year-old is hoping for after Gatineau picked up the QMJHL veteran last month from the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. The Olympiques gave up fifth- and ninth -round picks, so the price definitely was right to acquire the talented but somewhat enigmatic Clarke.

"It's (coming to Gatineau) been great from my very first day," said Clarke. "All the guys have been really welcoming, I knew coming in that Gatineau was a well-respected organization with a lot of history behind it. I was really excited to get here and get started."

Clarke's travels around the league have been well documented after the rugged defenceman was drafted sixth overall by the now-defunct Lewiston MAINEiacs in 2008.

Since then the Windsor, N.S. native has suited up for the Halifax Mooseheads, Shawinigan Cataractes and the Titan.
Acadie-Bathurst cut him loose in late November and he was sitting around the house waiting for something to happen when Gatineau coach-GM Benoit Groulx called to say he was headed to the National Capital region.

"Getting back into game shape after being off for over a month is tough but I'm working at it, my biggest test will be our next few games." Clarke explained.

Clarke struggled a bit in his first few outings with the Olympiques but has come around lately.

Last Saturday, the blue-liner paid huge dividends for his newly adopted team in an emotional and physical 4-2 victory over the Cataractes, one of the league's top teams and 2012 Memorial Cup hosts. Clarke played up to his expectations that game, making strong first passes out of his zone and laying the body on just about everything in a Cataractes jersey.

The fourth-year veteran was often paired against Shawinigan's high-end forwards like Michael Bournival and Kirill Kabanov and made life miserable for them all night.

And just for good measure, Clarke took an active role in a late game line brawl after a Shawinigan forward steamrolled Gatineau goaltender Francois Lacerte after he ventured outside his crease to corral a puck.

"I'm really happy to be in Gatineau, it's a lot more professional than anywhere else I've been," Clarke stated.

"The coaches treat you like pros, they're not here to be your friends, they're here to develop you and win hockey games. They're all business and that's the way it should be."

With another year of eligibility Clarke may have landed with the team where he could finish his major junior career.

"I feel really comfortable in Gatineau, the organization, coaches and my teammates are great. It's awesome."

Mike Beasley is a QMJHL correspondent for Buzzing The Net.