New York Islanders Injury Extent Reveal In Exit Interviews

The New York Islanders season has come to an end. With locker clean out day on Monday, we get to find out who was playing hurt during the playoffs.

At the end of the season, the New York Islanders, like every other NHL team clear out their lockers and part ways for the summer. The most interesting part of these exit interviews, at least for me, is getting a sense for just how broken some of these guys were.

We often hear that hockey players are the toughest players out there. But it’s not till the end of the season when their injuries are made public that we truly get a sense of what these players were actually playing through.

Monday was locker clean-out day for the New York Islanders. And with it, we got a sense of some of the injuries plaguing the Islanders through the postseason.

Injuries

Scott Mayfield – Foot

Mayfield played all eight games in the playoffs for the New York Islanders. He averaged 18:22 minutes on the ice and produced two points. But the big 6’5″ blueliner could barely get his skates on.

He’d been taking maintenance days whenever he could, and fluid buildup in his ankle is why. It’s incredible to think of anyone playing with a swollen ankle. Wrapping a skate boot around that and then playing top-level competitive hockey for almost 20 minutes. It’s insane.

But that’s just the start.

Cal Clutterbuck – Back

He’s been having back issues for months it seems. He didn’t say what the issues were exactly, but according to Clutterbuck, the issue would require surgery in the off-season.

Clutterbuck missed a single game in the playoffs, the last game. But in seven games, he averaged 14:59 of ice time and 4.7 hits per game. His back may have been beat-up, but he wasn’t acting like it.

Hopefully, that surgery goes well and he can be back for training camp. The Islanders fourth line of Clutterbuck, Cizikas, Martin is vital to this team.

Johnny Boychuk – Foot

Johnny Boychuk had a broken foot. That happened in game four against the Penguins, so April 16th. Boychuk said he could have returned for game six of the second round. That game was scheduled for May 7th.

Boychuk’s broken foot would have been healed, enough to be medically cleared at least, to return to competitive hockey in less than a month. That’s some seriously impressive recovery time.

Boy was he missed. Nick Leddy just didn’t look the same next to Thomas Hickey as he did with Boychuk by his side.

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Those are the injuries that were made aware to us through various media members. There are probably countless other minor injuries to other players on the roster that are being talked about.

Either way, it’s incredible to think about what these guys are playing through.