3 Off-Season Personnel Decisions for the NY Islanders

Have we seen the end of Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck?

Two players synonymous with the Islanders, Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin will see their contracts expire on July 1st, making them free to sign anywhere they want.

The game has become a bit too fast for Martin, as it looks unlikely he’ll return for another season in blue and orange. He’s 34 years old and his ties to Long Island along with his family make it highly unlikely he’d be willing to relocate for what would only be a couple of seasons. 

As they have with players in the past, the Islanders would likely be willing to offer Martin a position within the organization, similar to Johnny Boychuk and Denis Seidenberg. 

Cal Clutterbuck is the NHL’s all-time leader in hits and has been plagued by injuries over the last few seasons. This was the first season of his 16-year career that he’s played in all 82 games and the first since 2018-19 he’s played in at least 60. 

Clutterbuck hasn’t expressed any desire to hang up the skates and seems like the more likely of the two the Islanders are willing to offer a new contract. He’s still effective in his role on the fourth line but a new deal will need to come at a value worth it to the Islanders as they find themselves with little wiggle room in terms of the salary cap and retooling the roster.