Ducks sign goalie Damian Clara to entry-level contract

The Anaheim Ducks have signed Italian-born goaltender Damian Clara to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Clara was selected No. 60 overall in the 2023 NHL Draft. The 19-year-old, who hails from Brunico, Italy became the first Italian-born goaltender ever to be drafted into the National Hockey League.

Clara posted a 25-8-0 record, four shutouts, a 2.23 goals-against average (GAA) and a .913 save percentage (SV%) in 34 games with Brynas in the HockeyAllsvenskan in Sweden. He ranked second among goalies in wins and GAA. His play earned Brynas a promotion to the SHL and he won the Guldgallret Award as the best junior player. Clara won 10 of his 11 playoff appearances, and he became the youngest goalie ever to lead a team to promotion in the SHL while posting the best GAA in qualification history.

The monster 6-foot-6 netminder was able to show off why he is the future of Italian goaltending last year at the IIHF U18, U20, and World Championship tournaments. Clara was named the Best Goaltender at both the U18 D1B and U20 D1B tournaments while winning both his games at the World Championship D1A tournament, picking up a bronze medal at each level.

Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis had this to say about Clara in his 2023 draft rankings. “At 6-foot-6, Clara uses his size to his advantage, and scouts think teams will take a chance on him for his size alone. Plus, goaltenders from smaller hockey countries typically spend their whole career trying to scratch and claw their way onto pro team’s radars.”