DETROIT — Cal Clutterbuck has not given thought to the choice that will likely be in entrance of him on the finish of this season.
Not less than not but.
However at 36 and with an expiring contract, the veteran of 1,040 NHL video games is effectively conscious this might be his final couple of months chasing the playoffs earlier than retirement comes calling.
“I simply really feel like this stuff will work themselves out, and truthfully, no matter does find yourself taking place, I simply really feel like I’ve carried out a lot,” Clutterbuck advised The Submit after the Islanders practiced at Little Caesars Enviornment on Wednesday. “If it ended at this time then, apart from profitable a Stanley Cup, I really feel like I’ve put every little thing I had into it. I wouldn’t be remorseful or regretful with something. That’s why for me, I’m not frightened about it.
“If it occurs, it occurs. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. One of the best conditions — issues work out for you whenever you enable your self to take a seat again and let issues occur the best way they’re purported to occur. Not attempt to drive issues.”
Clutterbuck nonetheless very a lot has the fervour and depth required to play within the NHL — simply discuss to him after a loss for proof — and he’s been an efficient participant this season, reprising his position on the fourth line and remaining a vital a part of the management group.
“He’s an awesome teammate,” coach Patrick Roy mentioned. “I really like his physicality. I really like his depth on the market. He’s very intense and really dependable defensively however [also] offensively.”
However the probability for transitioning away from the Identification Line will current itself to the Islanders this offseason when Clutterbuck and Matt Martin, 34, change into unrestricted free brokers with the query of retirement to reply.
For now, Clutterbuck’s focus is on the Islanders scrapping and clawing to remain within the playoff race, with a vital sport in opposition to the wild-card-leading Purple Wings on Thursday.
The Isles are 5 factors behind the Flyers within the Metropolitan Division with a sport in hand and 7 behind Tampa Bay for the second wild card with two in hand.
“I believe there’s extra of an exterior stress crunch whenever you grow old,” Clutterbuck mentioned. “Clearly you’ve gotten much less probabilities at it. I believe the distinction is you have a look at it and also you’re like, I don’t know what number of different probabilities I’m gonna have at this. But it surely doesn’t make me get pleasure from it kind of. It’s simply that I do know behind my thoughts, I don’t have 10 cracks at it left.”
Early in his profession with the Minnesota Wild, Clutterbuck was hardly ever concerned in playoff races, not making the postseason till his fifth full season within the league, the lockout-shortened 2012-13 marketing campaign.
A yr later, he was dealt to the Islanders, who’ve most of the time been within the combine since then.
Their probabilities of making it this season will not be particularly excessive after the crew struggled popping out of the Christmas break, falling far out of place. However the Islanders are removed from formally out of it, and even farther from performing as if the chase is over.
“I believe when you’ve been within the playoffs as soon as, that’s when your appreciation for playoff races turns into actual,” Clutterbuck mentioned. “You do notice it, you form of get the playoff bug. I believe the identical might be mentioned the opposite manner. When you spend a bunch of your profession’s early years not ever making the playoffs, you form of get used to that, too. That’s why you play. You at all times need to get in.
“And the playoff races are significant as a result of as a lot as you need to say it’s professional hockey, it’s the NHL, 82 video games is an extended yr. So when these final 30 come up and there’s tangible metrics the place you may look and see your self climbing and falling, the feelings that comply with, it’s enjoyable.”
