There have been few bright spots for the struggling New York Islanders this season. A lack of scoring from anyone not named Bo Horvat, Mat Barzal, Brock Nelson, and Kyle Palmieri has led the Islanders’ offense to another disappointing campaign. While 10-year alternate captain Cal Clutterbuck may not be helping the team’s offensive struggles, he has provided tremendous value in other parts of the game.
Clutterbuck’s Consistency
A million words could describe the Islanders’ 2023-24 season before we get to inconsistency. Some players have struggled more than others, whether with ability, consistency, performance, or health, but it is hard to find a player who has not struggled in some respect. Clutterbuck, 36, might be the only Islander who has shown up every night and played well without straying away from his game.
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Clutterbuck’s role is clear: lay big hits, wear down the other team, dump the puck, and get off the ice. He has done this his entire career, and there is a reason he is still in the NHL. He won’t score a ton of goals or rack up points on the power play, but that is not how fans measure his importance. Given the team’s struggles this season, his consistent effort has provided value to the lackluster bottom-six. It’s not a tall ask for a player to try his best each night. However, considering the team’s lack of structure and discipline to start the season, apparently, it now is.
Clutterbuck’s Veteran Leadership
The Islanders’ deep playoff runs in 2020 and 2021 can be attributed to structure and leadership. Without either of those things this season, it’s evident how different this season’s team is compared to those squads. While structure is primarily dictated by coaching and planning, leadership is not. Josh Bailey caught a lot of flack from Islanders fans late in his career, but his locker room presence seems to have meant more to the team than fans may have realized.
The Islanders are known for being tight-lipped, so nobody truly knows what is going on inside the locker room. Clutterbuck, as a long-serving alternate captain, has notably risen to the occasion this season, particularly after being selected as the Islanders’ nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy. During a rough season, a calming voice needs to prove confident in the group. Clutterbuck’s presence is a key reason the team has stayed in the playoff race despite multiple long-losing streaks. With the final regular-season games ahead, his leadership will, hopefully, help push the team to a third-place finish in the Metropolitan Division.
Clutterbuck’s Defensive Outlook
The “Identity Line” has been the Islanders’ most frequent fourth line since 2013, consisting of Clutterbuck, Casey Cizikas, and Matt Martin. The three have played a hard-nosed, resilient style that has shut down opposing top lines with ease. With Martin struggling this season and Cizikas spending time in different parts of the lineup, Clutterbuck is the lone piece of that trio who has been a lineup regular.
His defensive ability is highly underrated. Among lineup regulars, he sits third in shots blocked per 60 minutes for forwards, seventh in takeaways, first in hits, and sixth in penalty minutes differential according to Money Puck. This is not to say he is an elite forward, but for a fourth-line winger, he has been a reliable option for the coaching staff this season.
Despite all of their struggles this season, the Islanders control their playoff fate with just a handful of games remaining. From the highest of highs to the lowest of lows, the team has been through it all and will continue to rely on Clutterbuck to get to the playoffs where everyone knows, anything can happen.