Cal Clutterbuck named recipient of NY Islanders Bob Nystrom Award

Cal Clutterbuck may have played his last game with the NY Islanders, but he'll be leaving with some hardware from the team as he was named the recipient of the Bob Nystrom Award as voted by the fans.

The award began after the 1990-91 season, and is given to the player who exemplifies leadership, hustle, and dedication.

The award was first won by Brent Sutter, with Matt Martin winning it a team-high six times, including five in a row from 2010-2016. Zach Parise was last year's recipient.

Clutterbuck, 36, played in his 16th NHL season and 11th with the Islanders. Despite his diminishing numbers and health in recent years, Clutterbuck had one of his best seasons with the Islanders in 2023-24. He finished with 32 points (7 G, 12 A), and more notably played in all 82 games for the first time in his career.

A member of the Islander's "Identity Line," Clutterbuck and partner in crime, Matt Martin, are both unrestricted free agents and it appears their time on Long Island (as hockey players) is over. On an aging roster, the top two hitters in NHL history have sacrificed their bodies over the years, and have been a crucial part of the successes the Islanders have had in the past five seasons.

Despite the possibility of not receiving a new contract in the off-season, Clutterbuck has expressed his desire to continue playing, preferably with the Islanders.

“I’d love to play and obviously I’d love to play here,” Clutterbuck said during his locker cleanout interview. “This has been home for a very long time. I put a lot into my time here and had great experiences. I will be an Islander for life.”

Regardless of what happens during free agency, Clutterbuck has been as loyal as they come and deserves the fan's recognition receiving this award.