Clemmensen's teammates appreciate what he did

When the Devils arrived at Prudential Center Wednesday morning, few if any of them knew that goaltender Scott Clemmmensen wouldn't be practicing with them.

Clemmensen was sent down to Lowell as Martin Brodeur was activated from injured reserve, clearing the way for him to return to action Thursday night against Colorado.

All that Clemmensen did in 40 games with the Devils was go 25-13-1 with two shutouts, a 2.39 goals-against average and .917 save percentage. The Devils decided to send him down, however, or they would not have been able to do it without him clearing waivers. They can recall him after the March 4 league trade deadline and he would not have to cleair waivers to be sent back down.

Neither Kevin Weekes nor Brodeur had a chance to speak to Clemmensen before he left because they didn't know he had been sent down until this morning.

“He was called upon to do a job and he exceeded, I think, everybody’s expectations,” Brodeur said of Clemmensen. “Probably not his own because I’m sure he knew he was able to do it, but that’s why you feel for a guy like that. He’s got to go back, but this is what he signed up to earlier this season. It’s unfortunate hockey has good things and bad things about it and this with all the success he got and how successful he was for our team to be where it is right now, has a lot to do with how he played and how he conducted himself. So, definitely, for him, I’m sure he’s really disappointed, but, at the end, he got a great chance to prove what he was able to do for not just the Devils, but the entire league. I think he made his point and I wish him luck.

 

"I don’t know what the future will bring. You never know if he’s coming back here or going somewhere else, but definitely he made an impact on this hockey club.” 

 

Weekes, who would have had to clear waivers to be sent down, planned to try to get in touch with Clemmensen in the next couple of days.

 

"He played really well," Weekes said. "That goes without saying. He did an excellent job. For him, I know it was a great platform to get the chance to play a lot. He started the season playing in Lowell and then unfortunately Marty's injury presented an opportunity and I played the first few him and then the coaches played him the majority of the games. We got along really well. We supported each other and we tried to do it by committee. We had a great attitude. We approached things the same way.

 

"The only thing is our reality changes with Marty coming back."

 

Clemmensen's demotion was a harsh reminder of the business side of the sport.

 

"I don't know how you couldn't feel bad for him," defenseman Paul Martin said. "He came in did a great job and put up the numbers he did and then he gets sent down. It's tough, but it's the nature of the business. Hopefully, something will happen where he'll get a chance to play."

 

***

Martin said he felt good during today's practice and that he expects to make his return from an upper body muscle pull Thursday night. Martin has missed the last four games. I joked that his return will be the second most-anticipated return of the night.

 

"Marty took my thunder away,"  Martin joked.

 

***

As I mentioned earlier, I expect to have some comments from Clemmensen later.

Comments

[Ray]

if we win the cup this year, number 35 should be retired and raised to the rafters.

[Robbie]

i wouldn't go that far Ray. But if he does play for a NHL team next year and they come to the Prudential Center, I'll be cheering for him.

[modnarm]

u drunk ray?

[JT]

THANK YOU SCOTTY!! I have a feeling they'll just recall him on march 4 so he can be along for the playoff ride. he definitely deserves it!!

[JohnnyB]

Thank you, Scott!

[RG9]

as much as i wasnt a fan of his this whole time, I just have to say...

Thank You to Clemmesen for doing his best, and giving this team a chance to win and get as far as they did!

Ofcourse this goes to Weeksie too but he is not the one who was sent down and might not come back.

[MTLsDevils]

yup, next time he comes at the Roc he deserves an ovation

[John]

How could a team like the Leafs (they had him last year, so they are idiots) or Lightning not try and grab Clemmer at the deadline? He proved he can be a No. 1, even behind a suspect Devils defense.

[Ray]

its been a crazy day at work to say the least, im out of it, and counting the hours until i leave work tomorrow and hop a train to newark to see marty.

[JJ]

IF we win the Cup it'd be nice if they could get him in as a backup for enough games to get his name & Weeksie's on it.

[njteech]

Clemmer showed his true character, class. He'll be back or maybe a move by Lou to give him a fresh start and get something in return.

[wkmaier]

Methinks Clemmer will always have a job in hockey with the Devils, should he want it.

Thanks for your great work Clemmer.

["Jersey" Tom Murdolo]

Absolutely. This sucks! It sucks for him and it sucks for the fans because fans know that he was one of the factors about why our team is in the position they are in now. He may be down in Lowell for now; but not for long. I believe that because he played really well; he shut out the Rangers and Bruins, and in other games he held teams to two goals or less in many of his starts. It is rough for me to admit this because with his numbers and the way he played, he deserves to be on an NHL team, playing with and against NHL players, not on the farm! I hope Lamoriello trades Kevin Weekes to Florida or Carolina for Jay Bouwmeester or Tim Gleason so that there is room for the "Great Scott" to return to the main club's roster.

[Speedz]

Yeah I hope Clemmer gets signed to a team so he can play and if he comes to back to the Pru he really should get a standing ovation.

lmao@ Paul Martins Joke

[Marc]

Clemmer did a great job even with those lame goals he let in and I don't see them doing anything with him until the off season. When the cup is ours he deserves his name on it!

[Jeff in Hoboken]

I'm a little cloudy regarding all of this jargon. So Clemmenson can come back to the team after the deadline 3/4? He's being sent down in order to bypass waivers (which is a chance for other teams to scoop him up?) Am I understanding that correctly?

Cause obviously we'd want Scott and Marty in the playoffs, right?

[Speedz]

I'd like Clemmer to get signed to another team, so that he can play games . And I want Weeksie as the Devils back up cause hes an awesome dude. In a perfect world we could have all three..

[Brodie30]

I hope he realizes that the fans appreciate what he did as well. Not just his teammates.

[Eric]

Maybe we can swing Weekes or Clemmer to Buffalo for Tim Connolly who can center the Elias line, and Zubs can slide to right wing so Gionta can go away. It just doesn't feel right that Scott has to go the minors when he could be starting right now for other teams. Clemmer and Weekes are class acts all the way.

[devsrule7]

thanks scott for all the hard work!

[Ben M.]

I'd want Marty/Weekes in the playoffs.

[richard goskowski]

he saved the devils i dont think even marty could have played better hope he hears how all the fans liked him hope hes back after the 4th

[Z-Man]

Too much is being made about this. He has to spend 7 whole days in Lowell. You can only carry 23 players until after the deadline. Clemmy didn't have to clear waivers, Weekes did. After the deadline, there's no 23 man roster limit. So either he'll be back with the big club, or he'll be traded & have a great chance with another team.

Either way, he's gonna get a decent contract with some team next year. He's not going to be a career minor leaguer any more.

I don't exactly feel "bad" for his situation.

[Jacko]

Big up's to Clem, I thinik this year did him and his career a world of good!

[Pearl Jammed]

JJ i think if we were to win it all, Clemmer would have his name on the cup by virtue of the amount of games he played for us during the regular season. Those 25 wins should be more than enough on their own not counting the losses as well.

Why would the Leafs or the Lightning want to trade for a UFA goalie when they are already out of the playoff race?