Richard Clune

Infobox Ice Hockey Player
team = Los Angeles Kings
league = NHL
position = Left wing
shoots = Left
height_ft = 5
height_in = 11
weight_lb = 201
prospect_team = TBA
prospect_league = TBA
nationality = CAN
birth_date = birth date and age|1987|4|25
birth_place = Toronto, Ontario
draft = 3rd round, 71st overall
draft_year = 2005
draft_team = Dallas Stars
career_start = 2007
formerteams = Dallas Stars

Richard Clune (born April 25, 1987 in Toronto, Ontario) is a professional ice hockey left winger who currently plays for the National Hockey League's Los Angeles Kings.

Junior career

Clune was drafted in the second round of the 2003 OHL Priority Selection (29th overall) by the Sarnia Sting. During the 2003–04 season, Clune scored three goals and 16 points, as well as 72 penalty minutes, in 58 games. In 2004–05, his second year with the Sting, Clune finished the season with 21 goals and 34 points in 68 games and added 103 penalty minutes, fourth most on the team, as well as winning the Bobby Smith Trophy, emblematic of the OHL's scholastic player of the year. In April 2005, Clune represented Canada at the World Under-18s in the Czech Republic; Canada won a silver medal, losing in the gold-medal game to the United States.

Clune was drafted in the third round (71st overall) at the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Dallas Stars on July 30, 2005, despite not playing at the CHL Top Prospects Game in Vancouver. In August 2005, Clune yet again represented Canada in the Czech Republic, this time at the Junior World Cup of Hockey. This time, Canada won gold, winning it over the host team.

Despite Clune's splendid season of 20 goals, 52 points and 126 penalty minutes in 61 games in 2005–06, Sarnia finished last in the OHL standings and Clune demanded a trade. On September 20, 2006, Clune was traded to the Barrie Colts for Mike Roelofsen and three draft picks.

In October, the Colts honoured Clune with the team's monthly sportsmanship award. One incident in late October, however, showed anything but sportsmanship. On October 28, 2006, during a game against London, Clune scored an empty-net goal to secure a 5–3 victory for Barrie. He then proceeded to get down and do pushups on the ice ^{[http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/9228}. However, Clune had had his best season offensively. He scored a career-high 32 goals and 46 assists for a career-best 78 points in 68 games.

Professional career

On March 25, 2007, Clune signed a standard three-year entry level contract with Dallas. He made his professional hockey debut on April 14 with the Iowa Stars, Dallas' AHL affiliate.

On July 21, 2008 he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Lauri Tukonen

tatistics

ources

* [http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/9228 Hockey's Future: Stars junior prospects update]
*
* [http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/stats/player.php?id=3020 OHL Profile]
* [http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/players/bio?id=5056&hubname=nhl-stars TSN Profile]