Cole Clayton went undrafted in 2018 despite being a right-shot defenseman with good size.
In his final season of junior hockey in the WHL with the Medicine Hat Tigers, his team played just 23 games due to COVID. Despite the shortened campaign, he made the most of it, leading all defensemen in points (30) and goals (9). That performance was enough for the Cleveland Monsters, the AHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets, to offer him a one-year AHL contract.
After a solid first year of pro hockey, he re-upped with the Monsters on a two-year AHL contract through the 2023–24 season. Following three years of establishing himself as a reliable two-way defenseman in the AHL, the Blue Jackets signed him to his first NHL contract on July 1, 2024.
After four years in the Blue Jackets organization, the 6-foot-2, 199-pound native of Strathmore, Alberta, signed a one-year contract with the San Jose Sharks this summer. For Clayton, who never changed junior teams during his four years in the WHL and spent his entire pro career to that point on the banks of Lake Erie, joining San Jose was a change, but one he quickly embraced.
“Yeah, it was a little difficult at first, not knowing anyone coming in,” said Clayton. “But we’ve got a great group of guys here, and they’ve made it really easy to transition.”
Although he has yet to play in the NHL, when the Sharks signed him this summer, they saw an ascending player still developing and improving.
“He’s still young, he’s big, and he plays a mature game,” said Barracuda General Manager Joe Will. “To me, I look at Cole as a prospect.”
With the Sharks in the midst of a rebuild, opportunities are available. For Clayton, this represents a great chance to potentially crack an NHL lineup.
“It’s a spot where they’re kind of a growing team and there are some spots to be taken,” he said. “Injuries happen all the time, so I’m just hoping to get my name in the mix to be one of the guys that gets called up first.”
During training camp and to start the Barracuda season, Clayton has been paired primarily with Luca Cagnoni, an AHL All-Rookie Team selection a season ago. Last year, Cagnoni’s main partner was Jimmy Schuldt, who went on to see his first NHL action in six years.
Clayton has already been incredibly impressed by the 20-year-old’s composure and skill.
“He’s amazing, very offensive, very skilled, a great skater,” said Clayton of Cagnoni. “It’s cool to see a guy with that kind of poise and skill with the puck, and I just try to play off him.”
Life in the AHL isn’t always glamorous, long bus rides, layovers, and constant travel come with the territory. But the league has become more like the NHL than ever before. Players are treated well, nearly all meals are provided, and staffs have expanded to give players more support and attention. You’re also just one injury or phone call away from the NHL. If you keep working, keep developing, and be the best player and teammate you can be, you’ll be ready when opportunity knocks.
All of the Sharks’ current right-shot defensemen are only under contract through the 2025–26 season, so in theory, there could be a path for the 25-year-old to reach the NHL for the first time in his career.
“I’ve just tried to grow as a person and as a player every year,” Clayton said. “When you’re coming in on an AHL contract, there are a lot of things that go against you, so I just tried to get my foot in the door, make myself an everyday player, and from there grow into being, hopefully, a top-four guy in the AHL.”
Over his first four seasons in the AHL, all spent with Cleveland, Clayton steadily progressed, adjusting to the increased speed and physicality of the pro game.
“He’s a right shot, which is an advantage,” said Will. “He’s physical and strong, and he’s a very welcome addition to us.”
Clayton grew up in Strathmore, Alberta, a town of about 12,000 located roughly 40 minutes outside of Calgary. Like most kids born around 2000, Jarome Iginla was his favorite player, and the Flames were his favorite team. The Saddledome was the cathedral.
During his junior career, he played a handful of games against the Calgary Hitmen at the Saddledome, but prior to the Barracuda’s recent trip to Calgary, he had never played there as a pro. When he signed with the Sharks this summer, knowing he’d likely start the year in the AHL, he circled that road trip on the calendar right away.
“It’s pretty special to play in front of my family and friends,” said Clayton. “My brothers got to come, I never really get to see them. My parents usually come out to wherever I’m playing a couple of times a year, so I get to see them, but it’s nice to be able to play in front of my grandparents and family. They do so much for me, so it’s cool to be able to play in front of them.”
Strathmore is so small that, to have enough players for a team, they had to combine with the next town over.
A small-town kid with big dreams, Clayton hopes one day to fulfill his lifelong goal of playing in the NHL.