Eyes On Isles
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2 players the Islanders wish they had back this season

The Islanders own the top pick in the 2025 draft, but it doesn’t mean there aren’t players they wish they had back for the new era.
ByTodd Matthews|
Mar 7, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; New York Islanders right wing Cal Clutterbuck (15) during the second period against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
Mar 7, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; New York Islanders right wing Cal Clutterbuck (15) during the second period against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

The Islanders have the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, so, chances are the two players listed here wouldn’t survive the new era with Mathieu Darche in charge. Still, although the Isles have the first pick, it’s not like they were a terrible team. And, just last season (2023-24 in this context), they were a top-three team in the Metropolitan Division. 

That said, if the Isles had a couple of players from years’ past, would they have been good enough to remain in true playoff contention and perhaps had snuck in front of the Montreal Canadiens? We’ll never know the answer, but I’ll say this: Probably. 

But which players would have likely overseen the Isles quest to have earned a trip to the 2025 playoffs, in which we’d likely be rewriting history? Let’s check out two names you may (or may not have) forgotten. 

Anthony Beauvillier

Surprised? Hey, there’s a reason playoff-caliber teams seek out Anthony Beauvillier, and it’s because he’s a reliable lower-liner. But this past season, he did a serviceable job with the ailing Pittsburgh Penguins, logging 13 goals and a 10.8 shooting percentage. Not bad, and it showed he wasn’t scared to take shots at the net. 

Beauvillier also did a fair job defensively, and it’s the real reason I have him on this list. Snagging a 90.9 on-ice save percentage at even strength with a team like Pittsburgh, whose defense was just horrendous, was encouraging.

The Pens flipped him to Washington, where he again showed a hitter’s mentality, and played a role in keeping the puck out of the Caps net with a 93.8 on-ice save percentage, again at even strength. The Isles were weak in seemingly all three zones this past season, but to get back a defensive forward who totaled 15 goals this past year, it wouldn’t have been a bad move. 

Cal Clutterbuck

Oh yeah, I would’ve asked for one last season from Cal Clutterbuck, and it’s because I’d have wanted to solidify that defense-first mentality. Clutterbuck was one of the most recognized defensive forwards in the game, and few added an intimidation edge better than the former New York Islanders winger. 

Even at an advanced age, Clutterbuck showed he can still play, having logged 273 hits and 55 blocks during the 2023-24 season, his last in the NHL. He also would’ve added more quality minutes to the Islanders ailing penalty kill, and at even strength in 2023-24, Clutterbuck’s on-ice save percentage was a healthy 93.9. 

Hey, if the Islanders were going to regress this season and have virtually nobody from their past or present around to score goals regularly, players like Clutterbuck would’ve bolstered the team’s strength - defense. And it’s no secret that the Islanders would’ve seen better results than what they got this season.

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