McClement assisting Troops on ice
BRAMPTON, Ont. – The National Hockey League lockout benefits nobody in the game, but the Brampton Battalion has taken some solace in recent weeks with the presence of Jay McClement at practice.
McClement, a 29-year-old centre who signed a two-year, $3-million free-agent contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1, is skating with the Ontario Hockey League club during the NHL’s labour strife.
“A lot of the same faces are around,” former Battalion captain McClement said Tuesday, mentioning coach Stan Butler and assistant Ryan Oulahen specifically. “Stan is still here, and Ryan is a former teammate of mine. It’s fun to come back and catch up with those guys.”
McClement was the Battalion’s first-round pick, second overall, in the 1999 OHL Priority Selection from the junior A Kingston Voyageurs. Over four seasons culminating in 2002-03, when he served as captain, McClement played 235 games with the Troops, scoring 91 goals and earning as many assists for 182 points, seventh on the club’s all-time list. His career goals total is sixth, and his 27 power-play goals rank fifth.
He played for Canada in the World Junior Championship in 2002 and 2003, earning two silver medals, after being drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the second round, 57th overall, of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. He has played seven NHL seasons with St. Louis and the Colorado Avalanche, which acquired him in a trade Feb. 19, 2011, scoring 63 goals and adding 114 assists for 177 points in 553 games.
Toronto resident McClement said that, while he hopes to pass on to current Battalion players something of what he’s learned, he’s making the most of the on-ice opportunity.
“I think they’re helping me out more than I’m helping them out. High-tempo practices are hard to find during the lockout, especially when skate-arounds are dwindling with players leaving. It’s good to get out with a full squad for a full practice.
“These guys here are ambitious. They’re in the middle of their season, so I just came in to work around their schedule.”
But he suggested he’s not yet ready to contemplate being a coach.
“They have a coaching staff already. I just hope that guys pick up on what it takes to be a pro and show up every day. I’m going to help out with little things like faceoffs and stuff like that.
“It’s nice to see, though, that the guys are eager to learn. I have a little more energy because, on the nights that they’re playing, I’m sitting at home.”
Renowned as a defensively responsible forward, McClement, who scored six shorthanded goals with the Battalion, tied with Aaron Snow and Oulahen for fourth place in the club’s annals, knows that a key to reaching the next level is strength in one’s own zone.
“I was more of a scorer growing up. The defensive mentality started here right off the bat in my first season. Stan put me in that role with two 19-year-olds in Richard Kearns and Aaron Van Leusen. We played together all year against the best players in the league.
“I carried on that niche throughout my career, and it’s allowed me to be successful for a good chunk of time.”
