Cal Clutterbuck will make his New York Islanders debut

Cal Clutterbuck will make his debut for the New York Islanders tonight, as the Isles square off against the Chicago Blackhawks.

New York will need all hands on deck as it’s likely that the ‘Hawks will come out flying. They’ve had some trouble getting on track so far early on in the season, and will be looking for a big win against the upstart Isles, who have yet to lose a game in regulation this year.

While Clutterbuck isn’t exactly known for his offensive prowess, he did play with John Tavares when they were both at the junior level. When the Islanders acquired him, it was likely that they were dreaming of reuniting them with successful results. It’s the kind of match that could have been made in hockey heaven.

Over the last few seasons we’ve seen a push of more physical, bruising types with a bit of finish skating on a top line alongside top-end players. The idea is that Clutterbuck will be able to create some space for Tavares while being able to finish any chances that he ends up with.

That’s putting the cart in front of the horse though, and he’ll need to get his legs under him before he can be expected to make too much of an impact on the ice.