New York Rangers General Manager Jeff Gorton announced today that the team has agreed to terms with free agent defenseman Adam Clendening.
Clendening, 23, skated in 29 NHL games with Pittsburgh and Edmonton this past season, registering one goal and six assists for seven points, along with a plus-six rating and 20 penalty minutes. In 20 games with the Oilers in 2015-16, he recorded six points (one goal, five assists) and posted a plus-three rating. Clendening established single-game career-highs with two points (one goal, one assist) and a plus-four rating on March 24, 2016 at San Jose. He also skated in six games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2015-16, tallying three assists and posting a plus-four rating.
The 6-0, 190-pounder has skated in 50 career NHL games over parts of two seasons (2014-15 and 2015-16) with Chicago, Vancouver, Pittsburgh, and Edmonton, registering two goals and nine assists for 11 points, along with a plus-eight rating and 30 penalty minutes. Clendening has posted a plus/minus rating of even or better in 37 of his 50 career NHL games. He registered his first career NHL goal/point and posted a plus-two rating while making his NHL debut as a member of the Blackhawks on November 20, 2014 at Calgary.
Clendening has skated in 202 career AHL games over parts of four seasons (2012-13 – 2015-16), registering 23 goals and 103 assists for 126 points, along with a plus-27 rating and 179 penalty minutes. He was selected to the AHL First All-Star Team in 2013-14, as he established AHL career-highs in games played (74), goals (12), assists (47), and points (59) with the Rockford IceHogs. Clendening was selected to the AHL Second All-Star Team and played in the AHL All-Star Game during his first professional season in 2012-13, as he led AHL defensemen in assists (37) and ranked third among AHL defensemen in points (46). He became the first AHL defenseman to make a postseason All-Star Team in each of his first two pro seasons since 2000. In addition, Clendening registered eight points (three goals, five assists) and posted a plus-seven rating in 23 games during the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs while helping Utica advance to the Calder Cup Finals.
Prior to beginning his professional career, Clendening played two seasons of collegiate hockey at Boston University (2010-11 and 2011-12), registering 59 points (nine goals, 50 assists) in 77 games. He was named a Hockey East First Team All-Star in 2011-12 and was selected to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team in 2010-11.
Internationally, the Niagara Falls, New York, native has represented the United States in several tournaments. Clendening registered five points (one goal, four assists) and posted a plus-two rating in six games while representing the United States at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship. In addition, he helped the United States earn a gold medal at the IIHF U18 World Championship in both 2009 and 2010. He was selected to the tournament All-Star Team during the 2010 IIHF U18 World Championship, as he led defensemen in the tournament in points (10) and tied for first among defensemen in the tournament in goals (three) and assists (seven).
Clendening was selected by Chicago in the second round, 36th overall, of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
