Clutterbuck and Parise 'Thrilled' to Remain Islanders

Staying on the Island.
Forwards Cal Clutterbuck and Zach Parise both signed contract extensions with the New York Islanders on
Monday afternoon following the 3 p.m. cut off for the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline
.

For Clutterbuck, who is in his ninth season with the Islanders in his 15-year NHL career, Long Island has become what he calls 'home' and was a major factor
in his decision to extend his contract for two more years
.
"I'm thrilled to be here for a couple more years with these guys and this organization," Clutterbuck said via Zoom on Monday afternoon. "It's home for me."

The 34-year-old winger is a crucial component of the Islanders' core group and of the team's hard-to-play-against DNA. He's a proud member of the Islanders' 'Identity Line' alongside Casey Cizikas and Matt Martin, who have nobly earned a rep as one of the toughest lines to play against in the league.
"It's been pretty incredible," Clutterbuck said. "I owe a lot to Marty and Casey, who have been beside me for the majority of this time and long enough that I don't have any vivid memories of playing NHL hockey without either one of them or both of them. It's something special for sure. You don't often get to show up to the rink and play with the same two guys for the balance of almost 10 years very often in an NHL career. I'm very blessed that way."
Since arriving on Long Island in 2013, Clutterbuck - who is currently one of the Islanders' alternate captains - has experienced a variety of chapters in the franchise's history. Everything from the transition in the team's ownership from Charles B. Wang to Scott Malkin, Jon Ledecky and Dewey Shay, to the transition in arenas from Nassau Coliseum to Barclays Center and back, followed the recent unveiling of the team's new home at UBS Arena and to welcoming new a management and coaching staff in 2018.

Additionally, Clutterbuck has helped lead the team to its deepest playoff runs since 1993, during the last two seasons where the team reached back-to-back appearances in the Eastern Conference Final (2020) and the Semifinals (2021).
While this season hasn't matched the level of expectations that the tight-knit group has established and set for themselves the last few seasons, Clutterbuck still has faith in what this group can accomplish as a unit.
"We believe in the group the same way that Lou believes in the group," Clutterbuck said. "I view it as an opportunity to be with this group of guys which I've been with the core of these guys for a long time. Even the guys I've been with for a short amount of time - we say it all the time - but it's a different feeling that we have with this group of guys. It's something that you don't really find often. It's an opportunity for us to go out there and accomplish the ultimate goal in mind."
For Parise, who is in the midst of his first season with the Islanders, the experience has lived up to everything he had heard in the offseason when he was vying his options for potential landing spots.

"I'm glad to be staying and finishing things out this year," Parise said via Zoom on Monday afternoon. "And I'm] looking forward to next year again."
There was always a special connection to Long Island for the 37-year-old winger as his father J.P. played with the Islanders from 1974-78. And after 60 games with the organization, getting acclimated to the team's stingy style of play, and being welcomed in by the group,
[Parise was pleased to re-sign a one-year contract extension on Monday.
"I've loved it," Parise said ahead of the news of his contract extension last week. "To have the opportunity that they've given me, I've tried as best I can to take advantage of it and I've loved every minute of it. They've put me in good spots. I don't care where my name is on the board. You adjust to whatever spot they put you in; center, right wing, first line, fourth line. I've been all over, and it's been awesome. It really has. It's been great and I think I've meshed well in each spot. It's been fun."

The versatile winger has been a utility knife for the Islanders' coaching staff as he's been implemented all throughout the lineup, used on both special teams' units and is one of only two players who has been fortunate to dress in every single game this season. Through 60 games, the Minneapolis, MN native has tallied 24 points (8G, 16A).
And someone who has leadership experience as both a former captain in the NHL as he was with New Jersey during the 2011-12 season and alternate captain as he was with Minnesota from 2012-2021, Parise knows there is a uniquely special group in the Islanders dressing room and is looking forward to another year playing alongside them.
"It's a great group of people, it really is," Parise said. "We're all out there trying our best, playing as hard as we can and playing for each other. We haven't gotten the results that we wanted, but we don't come into the rink the next day pouting and quiet. There's a great camaraderie about the group. We're not in a playoff spot right now and we'd love to be, but there's more to life than that. We're trying our best and we're trying to get better. We're going to keep trying to do that."