WRITTEN BY- Kent
Audible gasps erupted when a thud echoed around the arena during the 2016 preseason fan fest: nearly a year of painstaking patience and concussion rehabilitation was erased as Patrick Sieloff caught teammate Clarke MacArthur with his head down in the corner of the rink. Bobby Ryan knew right away, and made a beeline to Sieloff while dropping his gloves. Chris Neil, well aware of MacArthur’s painful recovery, attempted retribution the next shift.
Certainly not your usual Sunday morning pre-season scrimmage.
Incredibly, MacArthur’s concussion problems started with a collision with a different ex-teammate – Robin Lehner in February 2015. Both suffered head injuries, but Clarke’s condition worsened dramatically after becoming concussed against the Blue Jackets in October of the same year.
Given the series of concussions suffered within a short period of time, nobody expected him to take the ice during the 2017 playoffs.
He did anyway, becoming one of several symbols of Ottawa’s resilience throughout the 2016-17 season. Canadian betting sites didn’t give the Sens a chance to qualify for the Eastern Conference finals let alone make it all the way to overtime of Game 7, but they did anyway because of hard work and resiliency.
MacArthur’s Journey
The NHL took note of MacArthur when the Thrashers rejected arbitration that awarded him $2.4 million. He signed with the Leafs for $1.1 million, and proceeded to create one of the best second lines in the league alongside Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin. Clarke was only two points away from Phil Kessel for top scorer on the Leafs, netting 21 goals and 62 points.
Again, despite consistent production, he found himself traveling to a new team through free agency. MacArthur turned out to be a perfect fit in Ottawa, providing consistent offence and finding instant chemistry with Kyle Turris and Mark Stone. He scored 24 goals and racked up 56 points in his first year as a Senator and was a key piece in the top six.
And then the injuries and concussions started to pile up. He played just 62 games in the 2014/2015 season and only four games the next year. His long road back to the line up has been well-documented and speaks to his unrelenting commitment to his team and to the game of hockey.
When Clarke potted the series-winning goal against the Boston Bruins on April 23rd, you’ll notice that Bobby Ryan turned away from the celebration and grabbed the game puck from the crease. MacArthur wasn’t supposed to be on the ice, but without his OT GWG, the Senators might not have progressed to the next round.
His series-winning goal was a microcosm of the Senators as a whole, achieving unexpected heights through heart and determination.
During his season-ending remarks, MacArthur made it clear that he needs to take some time to consider what comes next. Towards the end of the playoffs, an injury to his neck slowed him down a little bit and it’s clear he wants too take time to let that heal before deciding what comes next.
After facing the prospect of retirement last season, MacArthur is suddenly a key piece of the Senators forward group. And with three years left on his deal and a cap hit of $4.65 mil a season, the Senators need a healthy and productive MacArthur in the line up if they expect to contend again next season.
What do you expect from Clarke MacArthur next season?
