Pro Hockey Notes Special (Clitsome Called Up)

Former Clarkson defenseman Grant Clitsome will make his National Hockey League debut at 7 tonight when the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Vancouver Canucks.

Clitsome, who graduated from Clarkson in 2008, is the second member of his class to make his NHL debut this season, joining forward Steve Zalewski, who has played in three games for the San Jose Sharks.

Clitsome, who is 24, has four goals and 14 assists in 55 games with the American Hockey League's Syracuse Crunch. He ranked third on the team in scoring among defenseman. He was picked 271st overall by the Blue Jackets in the 2004 NHL draft.

He played in 150 games at Clarkson, finishing with 16 goals and 57 assists and had a career plus/minus rating of plus-32.

Clitsome helped lead Clarkson to the 2007 ECAC Hockey Tournament championship and a regular-season championship the following season, as well as a spot in the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals.

One of Clitsome's teammates with Columbus will be former Clarkson captain Chris Clark (class of 1998). He will also become the ninth former Golden Knight to play in an NHL game this season.