The Chicago Blackhawks signed Boston University defenseman Adam Clendening on Friday to a three-year entry-level contract, as the native of Wheatfield, N.Y., will leave college hockey after two years.
The 21-year-old Clendening, who played two years in the U.S. National Team Development program and has represented the U.S. at the IIHF World Junior Championship, was a second-round pick (36th overall) of the Blackhawks in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. He's ranked by prospects website Hockey's Future as the Blackhawks No. 2 prospect on the blueline.
In his sophomore year with the Terriers, Clendening had 33 points (four goals and 29 assists) in 38 games. That ranked him tops among BU blueliners and sixth nationally in defenseman scoring, and he was third on the team with a plus-16 rating. He also had a goal and four assists in six games for the U.S. at this year's World Junior Championship, his first appearance at the Under-20 tournament. The Terriers went 17-9-1, finishing tied for second in Hockey East and making their first NCAA tournament appearance since winning the national championship in 2009.
Clendening is one of five prospects signed by the Blackhawks in the last week, joining fellow blueliner Klas Dahlbeck, center Joakim Nordstrom and goaltenders Kent Simpson and Mac Carruth. He figures to need seasoning with the Blackhawks' AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, but that should fit in with the team's plans. The Blackhawks, who signed Johnny Oduya to a three-year contract extension on Tuesday, have seven defensemen under contract for the 2012-13 season, and $61,490,128 in salary committed across the roster. This isn't a move for right now, but a skilled offensive defenseman like Clendening will likely be valuable for the Blackhawks in the not-too-distant future.
