Cal Clutterbuck

Lore & Background

Clutterbuck was born on November 18, 1987, in Welland, Ontario, to Tim and Jocelyne Clutterbuck. He was around the same age as many other future NHL players from the Welland area, and is remembered in his hometown as one of the 'Welland Five', a group that also consists of Matt Ellis, Daniel Paille, Dan Girardi, and Paul Bissonnette. Bissonnette remembered Clutterbuck as a 'dominant scorer' in Welland youth hockey who only became more physical and focused on checking his opponents when he was older. Clutterbuck played a variety of sports, including baseball, golf, and volleyball, but began focusing solely on hockey when he was around the age of 16. While attending Notre Dame College School, Clutterbuck also played junior ice hockey for the Welland Cougars of the Golden Horseshoe Junior Hockey League.

In Their Own Story

The Target Center lights hummed a low amber glow over the ice. It was a Tuesday, mid-February, and the kind of Minnesota cold that seeped through the arena walls made the rink feel like a warm island in a frozen world. Clutterbuck was on the ice for the penalty kill, skating the neutral zone with that steady, grinding rhythm he was known for. The opposing winger had the puck at the blue line, trying to find a passing lane, and Clutterbuck was already there, already closing the angle, already making the play before it happened. A clean pass back to the defenseman. A breath. Then the puck was back in the offensive zone and the cycle started again. The crowd noise was a low, constant roar—nothing dramatic, just the sound of a fan base that respected the work as much as the result. Clutterbuck skated back to the bench, wiped the ice off his gloves, and was already watching the next shift. No celebration. No need. The job was done, and there was another one coming.

Reader's Guide

Clutterbuck was drafted by the Toronto St. Michael's Majors of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in the first round, 13th overall, of the 2003 OHL Priority Selection. He joined the team for the 2003–04 OHL season, scoring his first goal on November 23 in a 5–2 defeat of the Sudbury Wolves. He was drafted by the Minnesota Wild 72nd overall in the third round of the 2006 NHL entry draft. He signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Wild on May 31, 2007. He made his NHL debut on October 28, 2007, against the Colorado Avalanche. His first two NHL goals came on November 24, 2008, against José Théodore of the Washington Capitals. He finished his rookie season with an NHL record of 356 hits. In his third full season with the Wild (2010–11), he set career-highs with 19 goals and 15 assists for 34 points. On June 30, 2013, he was traded to the New York Islanders along with a third-round draft pick in exchange for Nino Niederreiter. He was named an alternate captain for the Islanders during the 2014–15 season. He scored the last goal in Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum history (until the Islanders announced a part-time return starting with the 2018–19 season) on April 25, 2015. He signed a five-year contract with the Islanders on December 9, 2016. On March 21, 2022, he signed a two-year, $3.5 million contract extension. He played his 1,000th NHL game on November 22, 2023. He announced his retirement on April 23, 2025, finishing with 1,064 games played and as the league's all-time hits leader.

Did You Know?

• Clutterbuck holds the NHL record for most career hits.
• He was one of the 'Welland Five' from his hometown of Welland, Ontario.
• He scored the last goal in Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum history (before the Islanders' part-time return) in the 2015 playoffs.