Islanders Ecstatic About Clutterbuck Contract

Cal Clutterbuck was relieved when he
finalized his five-year contract extension
with the New York Islanders on Friday. In the final year of his current contract, Clutterbuck didn't want to leave the Islanders, so he and the team made it work, ironing out a deal that'll keep him in blue and orange until 2022-23.
"There's a huge sense of relief when you can see into your future for at least the next half decade," Clutterbuck said. "I've always had a desire to stick around. If there was some sort of agreement we could come to that would allow me to stay here, that was my first choice."
The Islanders were relieved too.

"He's a physical player and those are the guys you want in your lineup," head coach Jack Capuano said. "From a coaching standpoint you have one of those guys that fits your identity. Every coach is looking for that guy who is reliable, that's trustworthy, can play in key situations, but most importantly is tough to play against."
Clutterbuck scored 15 goals last season and has pound-for-pound one of the best wrist shots on the team with his quick release. His shot and his speed tend to get overshadowed by his physicality, as the 5'11, 218 lb. wrecking ball is the team's most prolific hitter with 89 hits this season.
Capuano wants players to forecheck hard and Clutterbuck brings it on a nightly basis. He's played alongside Casey Cizikas for the better part of two-and-a-half years on the team's effective energy line and as a pair on the penalty kill. Cizikas signed a five-year deal in the offseason, so they'll get to continue their partnership for the foreseeable future.
"I'm ecstatic about it," Cizikas said. "We've really gelled well together and know where each other are on the ice at all times. Being on the kill together makes it so much easier."

Cizikas, who's four years younger than Clutterbuck, has learned a lot from playing with the nine-year vet. Cizikas pulled back the curtain on Clutterbuck's contribution to the Islanders room.
"It's the things you guys don't see," Cizikas said. "Between periods in the locker room, at practices, things like that, just the leadership he brings, the voice he brings, he's an older guy, a veteran guy and brings a lot to the table for us that haven't been around as long."
It's the bonds with guys like Cizikas and John Tavares - who Clutterbuck played with in junior - that really made him want to stay an Islander.
"It says a lot about mainly the guys in the room," Clutterbuck said. "We just have a really good time together. No matter how it's going there's always something going on here that I enjoy and it's just been a lot of fun to be a part of this group of guys and I wanted to extend that as long as I could."
But perhaps it was newcomer Andrew Ladd, whose played against Clutterbuck in the NHL, who paid him the ultimate compliment on Saturday.
"You don't know how much Cal means to this team until you're here every day," Ladd said. "Guys are really happy he'll be sticking around for a while.