Damian Clara signs in Anaheim, but he's almost certainly going back to Sweden

The Anaheim Ducks have announced the signing of 19-year-old Italian goaltender Damian Clara to a three-year entry-level contract on Monday.

While that led to immediate reaction of a crowded crease in Anaheim, it should be kept in mind that Clara is almost certainly headed back to play in Sweden in the 2024-25 season. That’s what Clara himself said a month ago after his most recent hockey game, an 8-1 Italian victory over South Korea on the final day of the IIHF World Championship Division I Group A tournament in Bolzano.

“Back to Sweden,” he nodded when asked.

What about Anaheim, the team that took him in the second round of last year's NHL Entry Draft?

“We’ll see,” the 6-foot-6 goalie paused. “Long road ahead. Not ready.”

Clara has played outside his native Italy since he was 15 – first it was two seasons at the Red Bull Hockey Academy in Salzburg, Austria, and then to Sweden, where he joined Färjestad BK, playing for the club’s under-20 team.

Last season, he was loaned to Brynäs of the second-tier-pro HockeyAllsvenskan, and the still-18-year-old Clara inherited the starting job when former NHL goalie Anders Lindbäck when down with an injury. Clara seized the moment and backstopped Brynäs to the league title, defeating legendary Djurgården in a battle for promotion to the SHL.

“I really liked it there,” he said about Brynäs and the city of Gävle. Aware that the team has been stocking up in preparation for a return to the SHL, Clara said, “They’re adding a lot of good players but I’m not going to continue in Brynäs, probably. I’m going to continue with Färjestad.”

That would seem to be the most sensible thing, with Färjestad coach Tomas Mitell recently confirming to HockeyNews.se that he intends to give Clara steady usage as the team’s backup to Canadian Maxime Legacé.

“He is one of our two goalkeepers and had a great year with Brynäs,” said Mitell. “He stood up extremely well after Lindbäck disappeared. It turned out as good as it could be for Damian, for us and for Brynäs. Because they went up too. It was more playing time than anyone thought in advance and it shows that he did a good job.”