PRE-RAW | Connor Clattenburg 11.22.25

PRE-RAW | Connor Clattenburg 11.22.25

Conor, maybe just take us through the excitement on getting the call and being ready to go for your NHL debut. Yeah, I was just getting ready to uh do the pregame skate and uh in Ontario and uh KJ pulled me over and I said, “Pack your stuff. You’re going up.” And I I didn’t believe it at all, but uh it was pretty surreal. When did it kind of hit you? Uh just kind of when I phoned my dad, I kind of I told him uh right away and just hearing it from his voice kind of uh just was like, “Wow, this is happening.” So, it’s been pretty cool. What was the reaction like from your father? Yeah, it was just uh instant tears from them and uh I mean same from the my mom too and uh they’re just uh thrilled for me. Maybe just take us through your journey what it’s what it’s been like to be to be you. I know you’re confident head coach Paul talk said that you were a dying breed but one that could take you to the next level. How much pride do you take in in that dying breed and and owning up to Yeah, I mean it’s uh it’s one thing that’s obviously gotten me to today and playing in this game tonight and um it’s just something I found in my game during my career and uh I just carried it with me and it’s just something I enjoy and I enjoy doing for the team and uh everyone around me. So uh let’s continue to do that. I know it’s been a short career in pro hockey for you so far, but what have you learned about yourself con? Yeah, I mean it’s a it’s a really tough fast league. a lot of strong guys, but uh just managing the the pro schedule and uh it’s it’s a lot more games in a short amount of time and um yeah, I’m just learning how to take care of myself and be that teammate for everyone else. Are you able to fall asleep the night before your NHL debut? It took a while to get down. Yeah, it took a while to fall asleep and I’m sure this nap will be pretty hard to fall asleep, but uh I’m just ready to get going tonight. Does it seem a little surreal? You were not drafted as an 18-year-old, you know, fifth round pick in 19. To think less than two years later, you’re getting a game like it’s I you must have just be thinking yourself, this is crazy. Yeah. I I mean, even since going into the OHL, like being the 10th round pick, I was like, where’s this going? Like I I never uh imagined that a year after or two years after being drafted, I’ll be uh playing my first game. But uh I just got to take this moment in and play with all my heart tonight. What did you learn about yourself through that a little adversity? I’m sure there were times where you were questioning. Yeah. What did you learn about yourself? Yeah, especially younger in my career. There’s a lot of tough teams I weren’t winning games, but uh I just you put your head down and start working and uh I just love the game. Um and it it just stuck with me through these years and I just built every year and um when when you work hard, you know, you get your your goals. So, uh I just got to keep doing that. What was the reception like from your new teammates here now? Yeah, they’re super excited and I mean the guys in uh Bakersfield um like celebrating for me and uh they’re all texting me and it was good to see the guys again uh that I saw at camp. So, it’s been good. You’re recently coming off a threeight game. I mean, take us through that. I know you probably spoke about that a lot that night, but take us through what you can recollect from that. Yeah, I mean that that was a pretty crazy night. I don’t even know what went on there, but um yeah, I was just playing a hard game and guys came after me every hit. So, I mean, uh, it was tons of fun. Uh, got the fans into it and it helped the team win the game. Going up against a team that’s beat this club in the back Stanley Cup finals. Does that kind of give you a little bit more, I don’t know, ambition to to do a little bit more against? Definitely. And I’ve watched all their their playoff games and uh, I know they’re a hard team to play, but I’m just going to bring what I can to hopefully get this team win tonight. Thanks.

Connor talks with the media as he prepares to make his NHL debut on Saturday against the Panthers.