Long before he signed with the New Jersey Devils as an undrafted free agent, David Clarkson was learning the fundamentals under the tutelage of Brendan Shanahan Both Clarkson and Chicago Blackhawks forward Dave Bolland attended Brendan Shanahan 's Hockey School at the Lakeshore Arena in Canada in the mid-1990s as kids."I did if for three or four years and it was amazing," Clarkson told NHL.com. "It's funny when I look back on it now because at the end of the hockey school each year, Shanny would hand out a stick to a kid that had the best week and I almost ended up getting a stick every year. I still have those gold aluminum sticks at home today, so it's pretty special."It had to feel just like old times last season with the Devils when Clarkson had an opportunity to play on the same forward line with Shanahan and Dainius Zubrus -- the team's productive checking unit."Shanny has so many great stories and he's been through it all," Clarkson said. "There's a lot you can learn from a guy like that. He dishes and moves the puck so well and can see the ice; he's never lost that and it's a huge part of his game."