Damian Clara

June 2025 – Clara, the Anaheim Ducks’ second-round pick (60th overall) in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, was named to the host country, Italy’s, preliminary roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. He has played for Italy in each of the past three IIHF Men’s Division IA World Championships. He was the first Italian player drafted by an NHL team, but he has yet to make his NHL debut. However, he moved to North America late in the 2024-25 season and joined the Ducks’ American Hockey League affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, appearing in two games. 

During the 2024-25 season, before joining the Gulls, he played in Europe, posting a combined 12-17-0 record with two shutouts, split between Kärpät of the Finnish Liiga and Färjestad of the SHL. In 2023-24, Clara was named the top junior player in HockeyAllsvenskan, posting a 25-8-0 record with four shutouts, a 2.23 GAA, and a .913 SV%. He helped Brynas earn a promotion to the SHL after a 10-1 record, with a .938 SV% and 1.38 GAA in the playoffs. Clara is under contract until the end of the 2027-28 season with Anaheim. With constant John Gibson trade rumors, Clara might get an NHL opportunity behind Lukáš Dostál. Keep an eye on the Ducks’ goaltending situation moving forward, and put Clara on your watch list. Mark Henry

February 2025 – Clara transferred to FinnisKärpät Kärpät after his contract with Swedish club Färjestad was terminated on February 15, 2025. Mark Henry