The trio of Matt Martin, Cal Clutterbuck and Casey Cizikas have been a staple of the New York Islanders for nearly a decade, minus the two seasons Martin spent in Toronto. Former head coach Barry Trotz described them as the “identity line” and that is exactly what they are.
“They give you sort of that determination and speed on the puck and sort of an Islander identity,” Trotz said. “If there’s a line that’s sort of an identity line, well that’s the best way to describe them better than a fourth line because they give us an identity.” The group has been one of the main reasons the team has had some playoff success. With that being said, there are a lot of miles on each of these guys.
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They have played a ton of playoff hockey over the years and have sacrificed their bodies each night. Clutterbuck and Martin are the top two all-time leaders in NHL history. Clutterbuck, especially, has battled numerous injuries the past few seasons, and it’s honestly a surprise he is still able to compete. They always play against others teams’ top lines, and have played consistently the right way their entire time together. The fact is, though, they are not getting any younger.
The trio have been loyal and outstanding Islanders, but this group needs to get younger and faster. Hudson Fasching took a big step this season, and could play a full-time, fourth-line role. Forward Simon Holmstrom is expected to see more NHL action this year following his stint with the big club last season. The Islanders also recently signed 25-year-old winger Julien Gauthier to a two-year deal. Gauthier spent some time last year with the Rangers and has size, speed and some skill. General manager Lou Lamoriello is in a big cap crunch and if he wants to make a move quickly, he can break up the identity line to clear some space.
Are They Still Effective?
There is no doubt the trio was effective for a long period of time, but are they still needed for the Islanders? Martin is now 34, Clutterbuck is 36 and Cizikas is 32. This year the group was able to stay healthy all season, but with their injury history, that isn’t likely to happen again. Per naturalstattrick.com and Andrew Gross of Newsday, the trio had a below-average Corsi For percentage (which measures shot attempt differential) of 47.38 in their 48 regular-season games together. That dipped dramatically to 35.06 in the six playoff games. It is clear the group has lost a step and isn’t able to contribute much offensively anymore, aside from Cizikas. He still has the potential to produce and is still the first one in on the forecheck every single night. Despite their age and decline in production, Clutterbuck thinks they are still effective.
“There’s been some periods of time with injuries and those are difficult to deal with, but it doesn’t really change how I feel when I’m out there or how I feel I can be effective. I don’t feel like the three of us are less effective because of it. I’m pretty sure I’ll be the first to know when the time for being effective has passed me.” (From, ‘What will become of the Islanders’ fourth line of Martin, Cizikas and Clutterbuck?’, Newsday, 5/23/23) Lamoriello has to look past the loyalty aspect of these three and realize it’s best for the group to break up this line.
While true that they have been the backbone of the Islanders’ identity the past 10 seasons, they are showing major signs of slowing down and there are younger forwards waiting in the wings who can step in. Clutterbuck and Martin both have one year left on their deals, but it wouldn’t hurt to move on from them a season earlier. They will not likely be able to find many trade options for these guys, but for one year an experienced playoff team could consider them closer to the deadline.
Time to Look At Other Options
As mentioned earlier, the Islanders brought in Gauthier this week on a two-year deal. The interesting part of the contract is that it is a one-way deal. Giving him this contract indicates the Islanders expect him to most likely be a part of the roster. They also have other forwards, such as Fasching, Holmstrom, Ross Johnston and Arnaud Durandeau who could step in on that fourth line if needed. Besides Johnston, the other options are quicker and more skilled. Fasching will still likely play on the third line if not the fourth, but in order for that to happen, the Islanders need to move on from a forward. Cizikas still has four years remaining on his deal and, being the youngest out of the trio, he isn’t likely to go anywhere.
At this point in time, Fasching and Gauthier are upgrades over Clutterbuck and Martin. If Holmstrom could crack the lineup, he would be a offensive upgrade as well. The Islanders would lose a big part of their identity, their physicality, but this gives other players the opportunity to step in. The trend around the league now is speed and skill. The quicker these teams are and can start the rush, the more scoring changes they have. The Islanders must adapt to this and move on from some of their veterans. A fourth line of Cizikas centering Gauthier and Fasching gives the Islanders a lot more speed and skill.
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It’s always sad when it gets to the end of their careers, especially for beloved guys like Martin and Clutterbuck. They are truly two of the hardest-working Islanders in franchise history and the No. 17 and No. 15 jerseys will be worn at UBS arenas for years to come. Unfortunately, their bodies are starting to slow down and Lamoriello has to consider breaking up this group. If the Islanders want to get better, and create space for younger players, then now is the time to make a change.
