The fourth line or “Identity Line” has been a staple of the New York Islanders and their recent success. The trio of Casey Cizikas, Cal Clutterbuck, and Matt Martin has provided the team with a great checking presence and defensive play that sets the tone and changes games.
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In the last two seasons, the fourth line has started to age and, more importantly, decline to the point where they have been a liability at times for the Islanders. Injuries have set the three skaters back, and the offense has been non-existent. Last season, Cizikas and Martin played in 81 regular-season games but combined for only 13 goals and 27 assists.
With Clutterbuck and Martin heading into the season on expiring contracts, this looks like the end of the road for the trio. The Islanders’ fourth line will have to change after this season and as a result, this year can, and will, be a transition.
Clutterbuck & Martin on the Last Year of Their Deals
Clutterbuck has been one of the best checking forwards in the NHL, delivering 3,756 hits in his 16-year career. Even in recent seasons, he’s still proven he can make a big hit along the boards to remove an opponent from the puck and force a turnover in the offensive zone.
The problem is that Clutterbuck is 35 years old and will be 36 by the end of the season. He’s lost a step as a skater and isn’t as sharp a puck-handler or in the offensive zone. In addition, he’s missed time because of an upper-body injury, playing in only 59 games in 2021-22 and only 49 games in 2022-23. Not only will this season likely be his last one with the Islanders but the team might start searching for his replacement on the right wing.
Martin enters the season in a similar predicament. He’s not as old as Clutterbuck but at 34, he’s also at the end of his career and his on-the-ice play reflects that. He was never a great skater on the offensive end of the ice but with his declining speed, he’s used almost exclusively as a defensive forward. It makes this season his last one with the Islanders, in all likelihood.
Both Clutterbuck and Martin can sign short-term deals after the season but it’s unlikely, even by Islanders general manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello’s standards. This offseason, Lamoriello proved he’s willing to sign older players to long-term contracts, giving 31-year-old Scott Mayfield a seven-year deal and 35-year-old Semyon Varlamov a four-year contract. That said, Clutterbuck and Martin are two skaters who have reached the end of their careers, and the Islanders will move on from them at season’s end.
The Lasting Impression the Identity Line Can Provide
It’s hard to deny the impact the fourth line has had on the Islanders. The recent success almost goes hand-in-hand with their play and their ability to change the pace of games. In a league focused on scoring and offense, they have been the resistance. The Islanders reached the Stanley Cup Semifinal in 2020 and 2021 on the back of great defense and the forwards stepping up on the defensive end of the ice. The fourth line was instrumental in playing that brand of hockey to give the team an edge.
This season, the NHL will be more skilled and offensive-minded. The Islanders’ fourth line almost seems like a thing of the past, a checking line that doesn’t provide value in the modern game. Cizikas, Clutterbuck, and Martin have the chance to both turn back the clock and prove that they can still make a difference.
They have a limited role in the forward unit with Cizikas’ 14:32 ice time leading the group. However, a full season where the fourth line is healthy and playing at a high level will give the Islanders an edge. They can also be the reason the Islanders make a deep playoff run. While the line cost the team in the first round last season with mistakes and penalties allowing the Carolina Hurricanes to control games and take the series in the end, their hard-hitting presence could be the difference. Against high-flying offenses and skilled forwards, they can create turnovers in the offensive zone, slow the games down, and make the opposition uncomfortable, allowing the Islanders to slowly churn out victories.
Islanders’ Options to Replace Fourth Line
Hudson Fasching has emerged as a clear-cut replacement on the wing. He has a great checking presence and made his mark last season as a two-way player with 1.1 defensive point shares to go along with 10 goals and nine assists. Fasching enters this season with high expectations regardless of the line he plays on since he signed a two-year contract this offseason and is now a pivotal part of the bottom six. He can make his mark on the Jean-Gabriel Pageau-led line and also the fourth line if need be.
Karson Kuhlman and Julien Gauthier were also brought in this offseason to play a minimal role. The two right-wing skaters in their mid-20s can step up and become regulars on the fourth line. For Kulhman, a big season can make him an integral part of the forward unit for the foreseeable future as he is only under contract for this season, putting a lot of pressure on him.
There’s also a possibility that Matthew Maggio or William Dufour start out in the NHL on the fourth line. Ideally, they receive their ice time alongside more skilled centers than Cizikas who can provide them with more scoring chances. That said, if Dufour or Maggio are ready to make an impact and head coach Lane Lambert doesn’t want to mess with the chemistry in the top six, he can slide them on the fourth line.
This season will test the fourth line and will determine what it will look like for the foreseeable future. Likewise, the Islanders will see if their fourth line, as constructed, will remain an integral part of the team’s success and if not, what type of pivot will need to happen. It might need more youth or skill, but change looks like it’s in the making starting this season.
