It’s been a long journey for 17-year-old Hubert Clarke to reach the Western Hockey League.
The journey has taken him throughout Manitoba, south of the border to North Dakota and finally to an opportunity this season with the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders.
Selected in the 11th round of the 2022 WHL draft with the second-to-last pick by the Raiders, Clarke inked his WHL standard player agreement contract last week to bring him into the fold.
“It’s really exciting for myself, my family,” Clarke said. “For my friends back home, it obviously means a lot to them. It shows that an Indigenous kid can do something, a thing like this. It’s just a really good feeling.”
Clarke’s journey to the WHL began in northern Manitoba on the Norway House Cree Nation, learning the game on outdoor ponds at five years old to kick-start his love of the game.
The community and people still hold a special place in his heart, and have supported him as he takes the next step in his hockey journey with the Raiders.
“Ever since I’ve signed, they’ve been messaging me,” Clarke said. “A couple people came to watch in Brandon (on Saturday), a couple people came to watch in Regina (on Friday). The support is just unreal and it obviously makes you feel really good, because it motivates you to push even harder to go even further.”
Clarke is two games into his major junior career, earning his first WHL point on Saturday against the Brandon Wheat Kings with an assist on a third-period Ty Meunier marker that sparked a 5-4 comeback victory in overtime.
The start hasn’t surprised Raiders captain Justice Christensen, who practised with Clarke for the first time since returning from NHL training camp with the Detroit Red Wings.
“He’s done a great job coming through camp and through pre-season just continuing to build,” Christensen said. “Getting into the games on the weekend, I was super pumped for him. He’s continuing to build and learn from the older guys. He’s done a great job and I’m super happy for him.”
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It was the crease that initially called to Clarke, however, as he picked up a glove and blocker in the early days of his hockey career and spent the entirety of his minor hockey career in Norway House tending the net.
A change to the blueline only arrived four years ago, coinciding with his graduation to the U15 triple-A level of hockey and a move to Winnipeg.
“I made the move when I was 13,” Clarke said. “From a goalie to a player, then obviously made the move from the reservation to a big city, which is unlike a kid from a reservation from where I’m from. It’s very exciting, it’s still exciting to this day, it’s exciting every day.”
According to Clarke, the decision to ditch the pads as a goaltender and become a defenceman came during his time on a powerhouse Norway House team where he saw a limited number of shots against and wanted to get more involved.
“We were playing a tournament and my teammates were scoring,” Clarke said. “I told my mom after the tournament I wanted to be a player. She got me equipment for the next tournament, which was a couple weeks later, maybe. Ever since then, I just haven’t switched and it developed really quick.”
Graduating to the WHL level after a season playing in the North American Hockey League with the Minot Minotauros, Clarke has been able to jump immediately into the Raiders lineup alongside defence partner and Prince Albert top prospect Brock Cripps.
Raiders head coach Ryan McDonald said Clarke’s path to the WHL is made even more incredible given the head start other defencemen on the roster have had.
“Being a goalie up until you’re 13, trading in your pads for shin pads and playing the level at he does … it’s remarkable,” McDonald said. “You have to speed up your learning of the game and you’re kind of jumping right into the fire. Give him a ton of credit, he’s worked extremely hard to get to where he is and he’s a tremendous role model.”
Cultural identity has been a big part of hockey for Clarke, representing Manitoba at three straight Northern Aboriginal Hockey Championships and twice capturing gold medals.
Reflecting on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada on Tuesday, his mind immediately went to his grandparents and the systematic racism they experienced in the residential school system.
“My grandparents have obviously been to residential school,” Clarke said. “It sucks to know that they had to go through that, but I’m just really thankful that some of them are still here and some of them made it home.”
While Clarke has his eye on the present with the Raiders, he also has opportunities in the future to chase after as he committed to NCAA Division I hockey at Western Michigan University in 2024.
Preparing for his first home game in front of fans at the Art Hauser Centre, Clarke added that he’s playing for not only those back in Norway House this season but also young First Nations fans in Prince Albert.
He wants to showcase a pathway to junior hockey for those who might see themselves in his skates one day.
“I hope I motivate a ton of Indigenous kids to push for their dreams,” Clarke said. “It’s very possible to make the (WHL) as an Indigenous kid, it doesn’t make it any harder being Indigenous than being a different race. You just have to work really hard, dedicate yourself and you’ll make your dreams come true if you have those.”
The Raiders (3-0-1) sit in first place in the Eastern Conference and will return home on Saturday night for a tilt against the Red Deer Rebels at 7 p.m.
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