The 1974 graduate discusses his career as the Director of Player Personnel for the New York Rangers.
By: Allen Lessels
UNH's first two-time All-American, Gordie Clark ranks as one of the best hockey players in school history, is a member of the Century Club for scoring more than 100 point as a Wildcat (76-86-162 points in 90 games) and is a UNH Hall of Famer. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Clark and his family emigrated to St. John, New Brunswick when he was two years old and that's where legendary coach Charlie Holt, who had a recruit change his mind late in the process, traveled to watch him play hockey and offer a scholarship at the last minute.
Clark and his wife, Carol, met at UNH and live in Portsmouth. He graduated in 1974 and has been in professional hockey for more than four decades. He was a standout in the American Hockey League before wrapping up his playing career with a season in Germany, served as an assistant coach on a Boston Bruins Stanley Cup finalist team in 1989-90 under head coach Mike Milbury and later moved into the player personnel side of the business. Clark has been with the New York Rangers the last 16 years and is the team's Director of Player Personnel.
Clark and his family observed the 40th anniversary of a tragic event this summer: Seven members of his family – his father Robert, mother Margaret, sister and brother in law Jim and Nanice English, brother Raymond and nephews Bobby and Jody English died in a house fire in St. John in July of 1978.
We talked with Clark for our latest installment of our new series, Catching Up with the 'Cats.
What's your role as director of player personnel with the Rangers?
Basically I oversee the NHL amateur draft. I oversee the scouts that do the scouting for the amateur draft and also the scouts working on the professional side for trades and other things. I've got a real good head pro scout in Kevin Maxwell. He was with me with the Islanders and I brought him to the Rangers. He gathers the information from the scouts on amateurs and things going on in their territory and passes it on and I get on a plane and go.
You've been in this business a long time. What keeps you going with it?
I'm 66 and the travel gets harder as you get older, for sure. You travel all around the world and get to the rink and watch two or three games a day and that gets hard. But you sit in that rink and discover the player and after watching him a number of times it's like, 'Holy cow,' That's the guy I want right there. If I lose that feeling . . . That's the best part of it. You're helping the team and getting someone who is going to help you go where you want to go, to win a Stanley Cup. That keeps me going. It keeps me young.
What's your best memory in professional hockey?
Probably my first year coaching with Mike Milbury and the Bruins and we went to the Stanley Cup finals in 1989-90. That's our sports Holy Grail. I did get to play in the NHL when I was called up by the Bruins. But being in the Stanley Cup finals is what we dream of and I was in it, doing it. Being behind the bench was great. I went to the finals on the management side with the Rangers, too, and that's also fun. I haven't won one, though. That's still the goal. No question. Getting to drink out of that sucker is what you try to do before your career ends. Gordie Clark was an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins when they went to the 1990 Stanley Cup Finals.
How did you close out your playing career?
I finished my career playing a year in Germany. I wanted to go out playing at the top of my game versus just hanging on to finish my career. I won the scoring title in the German league that year and said, 'I'm done. I won the scoring title and I can call it a career.'
What's your best UNH hockey memory?
There are a couple of them. For one, I'd have to say the minute and 39 seconds with Jamie Hislop and Cliff Cox against RPI in the playoffs in 1974. It was one game, winner take all and we had lost (goalie) Cap Raeder to an injury. We were down in the game and there was a little brawl and we were coming out for the period to skate three on three. Charlie Holt came out and said the three of us were going out and we were like 'What?' No one ever does all three forwards. RPI went with all defensemen. Gordie Clark was UNH's first two-time All-American (1973 & 1974)
Three goals in the 99 seconds and it was tied up, correct?
Yeah. I've watched the clip with the grandkids and we were skating forward the whole time and they were going back. We were just flying. There were people all over the chain-link fence at the end of the rink and everyone was screaming.
Coach Holt's strategy worked out pretty well?
Charlie knew what he was doing. A lot of people watching that RPI game were second guessing. He was so far ahead of his time. . . . He was playing a transition game back then. Other teams when they got the puck would take it into their own end and try to set up. He'd have us turn it right back up the ice.
And the other UNH memory?
That would be the two All-Americans. That's something my parents were real proud of and they got to see that before the fire. They made a lot of sacrifices for us. Industrial work was a mess in Europe and the English, Scotch, French and Italians all came to Canada to look for work.
Who were three of the best Wildcats you've seen play while they were at UNH?
I signed Jason Krog when I was with the Islanders and he'd be one. We got on him and he was thinking of coming out after his junior year. I knew the recruits who were coming in and I told him he should stay for another year and get a chance at a national championship. You never know how a pro career is going to turn out. He stayed and they lost in the championship. He had a crack at it and we still signed him and he had a great career. I'd say Cap Raeder in goal. He was a dominating goalie. The third one I saw the most was Andy Brickley. He had an NHL shot at the time and he was so dominating with his hands.
How often do you get to the Whittemore Center these days?
It sometimes depends on what free agents are around, but I generally try to get in three or four times a year. There are still so many fans there that I remember. I may not remember all their names, but I certainly remember all their faces. I'll meet them at Frozen Fours, too. A lot of them go to the Frozen Four wherever it is and whoever is in it. I love going to the Whitt. There are always a bunch of scouts there and my first captain, Dick Umile, was the head coach all those years. I'd go down and see him before the game. I also usually go to a practice once or twice a year. Mike Souza's a great guy and a great person to have in the job and I plan to come by and see him as often as I can. I think they've got the right person in there. Clark with his family.HOME OPENER (SATURDAY, OCT. 27)
The UNH men's hockey team will return to action for the home opener at the Whittemore Center on Saturday, Oct. 27 versus Vermont at 7:00 p.m. The first 1,000 fans will receive the official game day t-shirt.
You can buy tickets by calling the Whittemore Center Box Office at (603) 862-4000 or by visiting UNHWildcats.com.
Young fans are encouraged to wear a Halloween costume and trick-or-treat on the concourse. The best costume will be recognized during the game. If any of the 'Cats score a hat trick, fans can use their ticket to redeem a free popcorn at the next home game.
Game-day sponsor Medtronic will raise awareness for breast cancer early detection and treatment. If you aren't wearing a costume, then wear pink - or wear a pink costume to show your support.
Check out UNHShop.com for the latest in official UNH Wildcats' merchandise.
