Flames All-Time Countdown Chapter LXXVII: 160-157

160. Chris Clark

Clark, a 6', 191 lb. right winger, was born on March 8th, 1976. A South Windsor, Connecticut native, he was selected in the third round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft by Calgary, 77th overall. After his selection, he went on to play four seasons of collegiate hockey with Clarkson University, scoring 63 goals with 65 assists and 390 penalty minutes over 142 games for the Knights.

Clark played the entire 1998-99 with the Saint John Flames, scoring 13 goals and 27 assists with 123 penalty minutes in 73 games. He played 48 games for them the next season, with 16 goals, 17 assists and 134 penalty minutes. 1999-00 would also see him in his first NHL action, with Calgary. He debuted on January 12th, earning a minus-1 rating in 9:21 of ice time in a 2-1 win over the Dallas Stars. He earned his first and only point of the season on February 3rd, an assist in a 5-5 tie with the Chicago Blackhawks. Altogether, he played 22 games with the Flames, earning a minus-3 rating with 14 penalty minutes in 9:02 per contest.

In 2000-01, Clark played 48 games with Saint John, scoring 18 times with 17 assists and 131 penalty minutes. He scored five goals on 43 shots for the NHL Flames, with an assist, an even rating and 38 penalty minutes in 11:56 per game.
2001-02 would see Clark appear in 64 contests for Calgary, and score 10 goals on 109 shots with seven assists, a minus-12 rating, and 79 penalty minutes in 13:57 per game. On November 1st, he scored the game winner in a 2-1 Calgary win against the Columbus Blue Jackets. On January 8th, he put up the first multi-point game of his career by scoring a goal with an assist in a 5-2 win over the New York Islanders.

Clark racked up another a team fifth 10 goals in 2002-03, on 156 shots. He also tabbed 12 assists, earned a minus-11 rating, and spent a career high and team second 126 minutes in the penalty box. He played 14:24 per game. On October 24th, he scored a goal and earned an assist in a 3-3 tie with the Stars. On December 9th, he again lit the lamp and dished out a helper as the Flames skated to a 2-1 win against the Vancouver Canucks. He earned two assists on December 29th in a 4-2 win over the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. He also ranked second on the team with 81 games played.

In 2003-04, Clark led the team by appearing in every game. For the third straight season, he scored 10 times, this time taking 137 shots on goal. He added 15 assists, 106 penalty minutes, and a minus-3 rating in 14:05 per game. On January 10th, he tallied the game winner in a 4-2 win over the Florida Panthers. He scored two goals in a game for the first time ever on February 1st, in a 6-4 win against the Ducks. He added another three goals and three assists in 26 postseason games as the Flames claimed the Western Conference Title but fell just short in the Stanley Cup Finals to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

After the season, when the 2004-05 season was cancelled, he signed a free agent contract for a team in Switzerland. Clark played three games for Bern. He later played with the Washington Capitals (240 games, 60 goals, 63 assists, 278 PiM), the Columbus Blue Jackets (89 games, eight goals, 12 assists, 59 PiM), and the Providence Bruins (AHL, six games, four PiM).

All-Time Statline: 278 games, 35 goals, 36 assists, minus-29 rating, 363 penalty minutes, 4.70 point shares.

159. Dustin Boyd

Born on July 16th, 1986 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the 6', 187 lb. center was a third round pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, 98th overall by the Flames. He got his start with the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors, playing four full seasons with the club before leaving following the 2005-06 season. He totaled 93 goals and 114 assists in 265 contests at the junior level.

Boyd played most of his first professional season with the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights, playing 66 games in 2006-07 at the AHL level. He scored 27 goals and 33 assists with them, also appearing in 13 contests with Calgary, where he scored two times with two helpers. In 10:09 per game, he earned a plus-5 rating and four penalty minutes.

2007-08 would see Boyd play 9:49 per game over 48 appearances. He scored seven times on 46 shots with five assists, a minus-11 rating, and six penalty minutes. On December 4th, he scored the game winner in a 3-1 win over the St. Louis Blues.

In 2008-09, Boyd scored 11 times on 74 shots. He added 11 assists, earned a minus-11 rating, and spent 10 minutes in the penalty box. He played 12:52 per game and played in 71 contests overall. On November 11th, he scored two goals, including the game winner as the Flames set down the Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-3. On New Years Eve, he scored the game winner in a 6-4 Calgary win over the Edmonton Oilers.

Boyd played 60 games for the Flames in 2009-10, skating 12:14 per contest. He scored eight goals on 80 shots with 11 helpers, a plus-5 rating, and 15 penalty minutes. He earned multiple points on four occasions through the season, including two goals and one assist on January 30th in a 6-1 win over the Oilers. On March 3rd, the Flames traded him to Nashville for a draft pick (Bill Arnold).

After appearing with the Predators (18 games, three goals, two assists), Boyd played with the Montreal Canadiens (10 games, one goal, zero assists), the Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL, 47 games, 20 goals, nine assists), and Astana Barys (KHL, 153 games, 51 goals, 50 assists). He is currently still signed with Astana.

All-Time Statline: 192 games, 28 goals, 29 assists, minus-12 rating, 35 penalty minutes, 4.80 point shares.

158. Joel Bouchard

Bouchard, a 6'1", 209. lb. defenseman from Montreal, Quebec, was born on January 23rd, 1974. He was a sixth round selection in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by Calgary, 129th overall.

Bouchard got his start with the Longueuil/Verdun College-Francais (243 games, 37 goals, 154 assists), playing four seasons with the team ending in 1993-94. He played one regular season and two playoff games for the Saint John Flames in 1993-94 to close out the season and open his professional career.

In 1994-95, Bouchard played 77 games for Saint John, with six goals and 25 assists. He made his first NHL appearance in February, playing in two contests for the Flames. The following season would see him play in 74 games for Saint John, scoring eight goals and 25 assists. He doubled his time with Calgary, appearing in four contests and earning four penalty minutes.

Bouchard played in a career high 76 games for the Flames in 1996-97, scoring four goals on 61 shots with five assists, 49 penalty minutes, and a team-worst minus-23 rating. He scored his first career goal on October 14th, as the Flames came up short against the New York Rangers, 5-4. On January 9th, he helped the Flames to a 3-2 win over the Hartford Whalers when he lit the lamp down four-skaters-to-five.

In 1997-98, Bouchard fought through injuries to appear in 44 games for Calgary, scoring five goals on 51 shots along with seven assists, 57 penalty minutes, and an even rating. On April 1st, he earned an assist and also netted the game winning goal as the Flames defeated the Dallas Stars, 3-1. He again scored a goal with an assist two weeks later, when the Flames tied the San Jose Sharks, 3-3 on April 15th.

Bouchard would find himself unprotected by Calgary in the Expansion Draft following the season, and would up dispersed onto the Nashville Predators (116 games, five goals, 15 assists). He would go on to remain on the jagged edge of the NHL, spending a lot of time in the AHL over the next season, but still managing to appear with the Dallas Stars (two games), the Phoenix Coyotes (32 games, one goal, two assists), the New Jersey Devils (one game, one assist), the New York Rangers (55 games, six goals, 14 assists), the Pittsburgh Penguins (seven games, one assist), and the New York Islanders (25 games, one goal, eight assists).

All-Time Statline: 126 games, nine goals, 12 assists, minus-23 rating, 110 penalty minutes, 4.90 point shares.

157. John Stewart

Stewart (not the Green Lantern) was a 6', 180 lb. left winger. Born on May 16th, 1950, he was a native of Eriksdale, Manitoba. In 1969-70, he appeared in the WCHL for 29 games with the Flin Flon Bombers, scoring 10 goals with 13 assists and 71 penalty minutes. The Pittsburgh Penguins selected him in the second round of the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft, with the 21st overall pick.

Stewart spent the next two seasons between the Penguins (40 games, four goals, nine assists), the Amarillo Wranglers (CHL, 57 games, 19 goals, 15 assists), and the Hershey Bears (AHL, 46 games, 10 goals, 17 assists).

On June 6th, 1972, Stewart became one of several "original" Flames when Atlanta selected him in the Expansion Draft from the Penguins. He played in 68 games that first year, tying for fifth on the team with 17 goals, achieved on 168 shots. He added 17 assists, a minus-9 rating, and 30 penalty minutes.

In 1973-74, Stewart played in 74 contests, again tying for fifth on the club in goals, this time with 18 on 143 shots. He assisted on 15 others, earned 41 penalty minutes, and finished his final Flames season with a plus-3 rating. After the close of the season, the Flames traded him to the California Golden Seals for Hilliard Graves.

Stewart went on to play for the Seals (75 games, 19 goals, 19 assists), later suiting up for the Cleveland Crusaders (WHA, 79 games, 12 goals, 21 assists), the Birmingham Bulls (WHA, one games), the Minnesota Fighting Saints (WHA, 15 games, three goals, three assists), and the Philadelphia Firebirds (AHL, 70 games, 23 goals, 15 assists).

All-Time Statline: 142 games, 35 goals, 32 assists, minus-6 rating, 71 penalty minutes, 4.97 point shares.

by Kevin Kraczkowski