When the NY Islanders drafted Nino Neiderreiter fifth overall at the 2010 NHL Draft, the organization thought they’d selected a potential top-six winger to play on Long Island for years to come.
But after playing fourth-line minutes for much of his first NHL season in 2012-13, recording one goal and no assists in 55 games, Neiderreiter believed he already needed a change of scenery. General Manager Garth Snow wasn’t obliged to deal a 21-year-old top-five pick, but elected to do so at the 2013 NHL Draft, sending Neiderrieter and a third-round pick to the Minnesota Wild for Cal Clutterbuck.
While trading away a top-five pick for a fourth liner wasn’t exactly what Islanders fans had hoped for, it appears Clutterbuck wasn’t exactly thrilled about the news as well.
“I’ll never forget it,” Clutterbuck told the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast. “I was in my basement in my old place in Brookhaven (Ontario). I thought I was getting traded to San Jose or California. I’m online looking at houses in Cali, and next thing you know, Gary Bettman gets up to thing and is like, ‘I have a trade to announce,’ and I’m like, ‘Here we go, boys, I’m going out West!’ And he’s like, ‘The Islanders trade for…’ And I go straight to the fridge. I had a boot. Molson Canadian was giving out glass boots at the time. I had a boot, I filled it up from the tap at the time and put three of them down right away.”
Playing at Nassau Coliseum wasn’t the most glorious home at the time, and players weren’t exactly keen on making it their home ice. But like most players do, they grow to love Long Island, and that’s exactly what happened with Clutterbuck, going on to say, “It just turned out to be the greatest place for me.”
Clutterbuck went on to play 11 seasons with the Islanders, officially retiring this summer. The ‘Identity Line’ member grew to love the Island so much that he still resides in the area, and continues to work with the team as a member of the MSG broadcast.