Islanders 21-22 report card: Cal Clutterbuck has good year
Cal Clutterbuck went from a pending UFA and possible deadline trade bait to signing a two-year extension on deadline day with the New York Islanders. Oh, and immediately after getting that extension, Cal was shelved for the season with an injury.
It wasn't how Cal wanted the year to end but we're concerned with how the entire year went. So looking at Cal's offense, defense, and impact versus reliance, how did he do?
This is a continuation of the player level report cards that I started this offseason:
-Josh Bailey
-Mathew Barzal
-Anthony Beauvillier
-Kieffer Bellows
-Casey Cizikas
-New York Islanders (Team Level Report Card)
New York Islanders 21-22 report card: Cal Clutterbuck
Offense: C+
In 59 games this year Cal put up six goals and fifteen points. Pace out that production over the year and the Isles fourth-line right-wing should have had 21 points. That's by no means a career year for him but that's back to where you expect Cal Clutterbuck to be when the year is over.
So good on Cal for being his usual self offensively this year. But that's not going to translate into a top grade. He was average offensively so he gets an average grade. C+
Defense: A
This is where Cal and the rest of the fourth line should make their money. When it comes to relative expected goals-against at 5on5 (per 60) only Matt Martin has a better number than Cal's -0.52. So relative to his teammates, when Cal is on the ice the team suffers fewer xGA on a per 60 basis.
Just like Cizikas before him, Cal's role is to play solid team defense, limit opportunity with some strong zonal pressure, and then add some depth offense. That's check-check-check.
Impact vs. Reliance: B-
With 14:02 of total ice time, Cal Clutterbuck finished eleventh in TOI/GP for Islanders forwards. He finished 12th for average game score with a 0.23. Take Czarnik out of the game score ranking and Clutter jumps up a spot to eleven.
Clutterbuck gave the Isles (slightly) more than the Islanders relied on him for. So, if Cizikas gets a C+ for his impact basically meeting his reliance then Clutterbuck gets a B-.
Final Grade: B
There's a reason the Islanders were comfortable re-upping Clutterbuck for another two years. They liked what they saw from him this year (and with good reason) based on the role he played and the role he's expected to play going forward.