Jeff Gorton didn’t take long to get started. The Canadian claimed defender Kale Clague on waivers on Saturday. Clague had been subjected to it by the Los Angeles Kings.
The 23-year-old shoots from the left, but he’s been used to the right many times this season.
The Habs are currently deprived of two veterans in defense, Joel Edmundson and Jeff Petry.
Clague was a choice of 2e tower (51e overall) of the Kings in 2016. He has 5 assists in 11 games this season, and has also registered 4 points in 5 games in the American League. Last season, he had 6 assists in 18 outings.
Clague played his junior hockey in the Western League (WHL), with Brandon, then with Moose Jaw, where he was teammate of Canadian prospect John Brook. The Saskatchewanian has also participated in two editions of the World Junior Championships.
Clague has 129 games of experience in the American League. He showed some offensive potential there by amassing 70 points.
It is therefore the first acquisition made by the Canadiens since the arrival of Gorton as vice-president of hockey operations.