Devils’ Graeme Clarke Returns to Lineup Against Maple Leafs: 'I’m Really Excited to Be Here in Toronto'

New Jersey Devils forward Graeme Clarke will play his second career NHL game on Thursday night in Toronto.

New Jersey Devils forward Graeme Clarke will return to the lineup on Thursday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The organization recalled him from the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League (AHL) on Wednesday afternoon.

"I'm happy to get the call-up and be able to try and play my game up here and do the best I can, obviously," he said. "I am really excited to be here in Toronto, and it is going to be fun."

As MSG play-by-play announcer Bill Spaulding reported, the 22-year-old's mom will travel to Toronto from Ottawa for tonight's game. Clarke additionally has family who live in Toronto.

"I talked to him quickly out there to get him laughing a little bit and smile," interim head coach Travis Green said. "Whenever you're an Ontario kid, getting to play in Toronto is going to be special for him. He might be a little bit nervous but I told him to enjoy it, take it all in. He looked good in the morning skate. We had him playing with (Nico) Hischier. Our wingers might shuffle around a little bit with some young guys in the lineup, might adjust as we go."

During the team's morning skate at Scotiabank Arena, he replaced Shane Bowers on the top line alongside Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt. In his NHL debut on Jan. 6, he played on the team's fourth line with Chris Tierney and Brendan Smith.

This season in the AHL, Clarke has 47 points (24 goals, 23 assists) in 64 games, second-most on the team behind Ryan Schmelzer.

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The Devils will face the Maple Leafs on Thursday at 7:00 P.M. The game will be televised on MSG, with their pregame show starting at 6:30 P.M.