Scott Clemmensen
The ultimate hockey journeyman who stepped from the shadows into the starter's net, proving his mettle during a legendary teammate's injury.
Born 1977 (age 49)·American ice hockey player·Birthday: July 23·Generation X
Biography
Scott Clemmensen’s NHL story is one of patience and seizing a moment that seemed unlikely to arrive. Drafted in the eighth round by the New Jersey Devils, he spent years as the understudy to one of the greatest goaltenders of all time, Martin Brodeur. For seasons, Clemmensen was the definition of a depth player, shuttling between the NHL and the minors. Then, in 2008-09, Brodeur suffered a significant injury. Suddenly, the net was his. What followed was a revelation: Clemmensen started 40 games, posted a solid record, and helped keep the Devils atop their division. He proved he was not just a placeholder but a legitimate NHL goaltender. That performance earned him a free-agent contract and several more seasons in the league, a career built not on hype, but on readiness and resilience when the spotlight finally, unexpectedly, found him.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Scott was born in 1977, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Scott Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
Scott's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Could drive
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 49 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played a career-high 40 games for the New Jersey Devils in the 2008-09 season, going 25-13-1 during Martin Brodeur's injury absence.
- Backstopped the Devils to the Atlantic Division title in the 2008-09 season.
- Won an NCAA national championship with Boston College in 2001.
- Played 191 regular season games in the NHL across 13 seasons with three different teams.
Did You Know?
He was a standout baseball pitcher in high school and was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 1996 MLB draft.
After retiring, he returned to the New Jersey Devils organization as a goaltending development coach.
He majored in marketing at Boston College.
His first NHL win was a 30-save shutout for the Devils against the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2002.
“My job was to be ready, to give the team a chance to win every night.”
