Clutterbuck Very Disappointing in Debut, But Getting Better???

[tomthestone*]

I've watched Matt Cooke play in our division for five years now. If you're really expected him to be three times the player Clutterbuck is you're going to be incredibly disappointed.

Stick to your own board if all you're going to do is come here and tell us how great the Wild are. Yeah, I wish we got more value for Nino. But for whatever reason he didn't fit here, and now he's gone. What he does doesn't concern us.

Please don't get me wrong. The Wild are so far from great. Barring something unexpected or a trade for Vanek at the deadline, we'll probably be lucky to do better than we did last year as the final team in the playoffs. And I don't think Nino is some hall of famer in the making, just glad my favorite team got a toolsy young player in return for a guy who had no future in Minnesota. I honestly hope it somehow works out for Clutter to the point where he can help out by being a bit of a protector for JT out there.

...but I'm fairly certain you'll see 15 fly around a defender down the wing and clank one off the glass more than once a night. There won't be enough bone-crushing hits to make up for bricky hands and other shortcomings. You guys will see.

 

[MTK]

Wild fan here coming to this thread in peace.

I've been casually paying attention to NYI since the draft day trade, and have been anxiously awaiting Clutterbuck's debut. Bummer to hear he disappointed the fans, but in shape, accustomed to systems or not, he likely provided a preview of what he brings to the table.

Clutter will play his heart out pretty much every night, there's no denying that part of his game. That said, he doesn't bang and crash anywhere near enough to warrant his reputation as a feared hitter in the league. His offensive game is non-existent (no real passing ability, frequently misses the net) outside of his straight-line speed, which can be considered plus. It's very early, but Matt Cooke has shown up in Minnesota and been exponentially more effective than Clutterbuck in the same role. Not positive off the top of my head, but I believe their contracts are very comparable.

I also see Bouchard has zero points and a staggering one shot while sporting a -1 through four games. My deepest apologies to all of you for having to watch him wear your colors. He'll certainly push your patience -- any fan who sticks with their squad while 96 is on the roster should be commended. And may want to look into insuring his or her television set.

And then there's Nino. Kid looks like a real player. Have to think he could have helped in some capacity last year during the playoffs. It must be frustrating following the Islanders knowing they're inches away from making a serious run with a gamebreaker like Tavares in the lineup, only to see curious moves made.

. We are not a Nino away from serious run. I recommend a wait and see ...because most of the Wild fans remind me of Edmonton fans when we traded Symth.

I hope he doesn't pout when he doesn't get his way

 

[RMimagery]

Please don't get me wrong. The Wild are so far from great. Barring something unexpected or a trade for Vanek at the deadline, we'll probably be lucky to do better than we did last year as the final team in the playoffs. And I don't think Nino is some hall of famer in the making, just glad my favorite team got a toolsy young player in return for a guy who had no future in Minnesota. I honestly hope it somehow works out for Clutter to the point where he can help out by being a bit of a protector for JT out there.

...but I'm fairly certain you'll see 15 fly around a defender down the wing and clank one off the glass more than once a night. There won't be enough bone-crushing hits to make up for bricky hands and other shortcomings. You guys will see.

You already said your peace. You'll see Nino's lack of finish and turn the wrong way a few times each night.

Looking forward to Isles vs Min on my birthday 12/29. We'll know a lot more by then.

Enjoy posting on your own board.

 

[13th Floor]

It's a long season. Not 48 games.

Clutter was not the problem last night. I saw effort and rust.

Too many threads are started way prematurely. If he looks bad after 10 games, start the woe is me.

Until then, please chill out.

(it's worse when this happens on the main boards)

Yea, pretty much. You know it is an overreaction when someone isn't even saying "Hmm.. I'm concerned", but instead it's "Ship him out". After 8:35 of ice time with people he's probably never skated with. 8 minutes of ice time and I've seen enough!

The general disconnect seems to be that this isn't a video game. Things matter like chemistry, rust, linemates, mentality, etc. You just wouldn't know that as we expect people to pick things up instantly like they do in our video games.

Same thing with Poulin. People don't like it because he looked shaky to start. It's almost as if his career is hanging in the balance and he played against the best team in the league, on the road, in only his sixth or 7th NHL start in almost 2 calendar years. Come on, why isn't this guy a robot?!

We need to relax. We aren't even 5 games in yet.

 

[MattMartin]

Yea, pretty much. You know it is an overreaction when someone isn't even saying "Hmm.. I'm concerned", but instead it's "Ship him out". After 8:35 of ice time with people he's probably never skated with. 8 minutes of ice time and I've seen enough!

The general disconnect seems to be that this isn't a video game. Things matter like chemistry, rust, linemates, mentality, etc. You just wouldn't know that as we expect people to pick things up instantly like they do in our video games.

Same thing with Poulin. People don't like it because he looked shaky to start. It's almost as if his career is hanging in the balance and he played against the best team in the league, on the road, in only his sixth or 7th NHL start in almost 2 calendar years. Come on, why isn't this guy a robot?!

We need to relax. We aren't even 5 games in yet.

 

[A Pointed Stick]

Meanwhile Okposo takes the first half of the season off every year and it is "But we can't sell now, his value is too low!"

4 years running...

Give Clutter a few games to get his legs back. PMB... I'm not sure how many I am supposed to give him. Three seasons maybe?

 

[stranger34]

Please don't get me wrong. The Wild are so far from great. Barring something unexpected or a trade for Vanek at the deadline, we'll probably be lucky to do better than we did last year as the final team in the playoffs. And I don't think Nino is some hall of famer in the making, just glad my favorite team got a toolsy young player in return for a guy who had no future in Minnesota. I honestly hope it somehow works out for Clutter to the point where he can help out by being a bit of a protector for JT out there.

...but I'm fairly certain you'll see 15 fly around a defender down the wing and clank one off the glass more than once a night. There won't be enough bone-crushing hits to make up for bricky hands and other shortcomings. You guys will see.

from his highlight reels etc I think his hitting is overrated. He finishes his checks more than he runs people over.

 

[Jester9881]

This thread in a nutshell:

He did not score a goal, and did not murder Pat Kane on the ice with a hard, clean hit. We traded the crown jewel of prospects for this guy, so now I hate him.

 

[Dutch Frost]

It was his first game of the year, missed a couple weeks without practice because of injury, in a new system, with new players, have to give the guy a few games at least.

Enough with this system crap.. Its called HOCKEY. You skate, you check, you get the puck and you shoot... That is the only system there is.

 

[lazycop]

Strange. Seems like a lot of Wild fans coming on this board to comment on how good Nino is and how bad Clutterbuck is but no Isles fans are bothering to do the same over on the Wild board. Part of me thinks Minny fans appreciated Clutterbuck a lot more than they let on. I know I'll appreciate his effort a lot more than Nino's.

 

[PROMputt]

Strange. Seems like a lot of Wild fans coming on this board to comment on how good Nino is and how bad Clutterbuck is but no Isles fans are bothering to do the same over on the Wild board. Part of me thinks Minny fans appreciated Clutterbuck a lot more than they let on. I know I'll appreciate his effort a lot more than Nino's.

Exactly. Like the guy who brags about all his women but sits home alone on Saturday night. Nino has 2 assists and is a minus 2 playing top six minutes. The first goal Clutter scores this year will be the exact total Nino has for his career. I like Nino and think he will be at least a 25 goal scorer more than one season in his career but I was very turned off by his childish attitude.

 

[Bexlyspeed]

You have to give Clutterbuck a few games to acclimate, but honestly a lot of people on here overrated him in the first place, the guy is a third liner that plays physical, he is not going to rack up a ton of points and he is not going to be the answer on JT's wing.

hopefully nelson does not suffer because the isles feel they need to play cal and bouchard, because i think nelson is better than the both of them

 

[JeffNYI]

It's never a good idea to visit another team's board.. even if you "come in peace"..

tomthestone, we beat the Nino for Cal trade to death in another thread... I think I can honestly say literally EVERYONE was happy to get Clutterbuck for our team..

The opinions varied wildly on what it meant to lose Nino, though.. some of us thought we over-paid, others were willing to drag Nino all the way to Minnesota for you from the back of their trucks..

What Wild fans don't understand about the Islanders is that we're building our group placing a premium value on the person's characteristics to accompany their skillset.. everyone needs good players, but we're also looking for certain PEOPLE... the games are only 3 hours a few nights a week.. but the working and personal relationships these guys have with each other go far, far beyond the games..

Some here will disagree with me, but I feel Nino's on-ice potential far outweighs the on-ice skill and value that Clutterbuck bring to our team.. but nearly everyone here will agree with me that Nino was a bratty little s.o.b. and we're glad he, as a PERSON, isn't in our locker-room.. conversely, Cal Clutterbuck seems to be just the type of player and person we're looking to build our core with..

For better or for worse, we've decided that when it comes to building a team, what happens on the airplanes, in the locker-room, the attitudes displayed, etc. will directly translate to what happens on the ice.

For those reasons, for us, Nino's out. Clutterbuck is in.

 

[OlTimeHockey]

And keep in mind when you have a big gash on your leg, even healed up, it's gonna feel like someone's jabbing a knife in the wound for some time due to scar tissue. So be patient and realize Cal is a heckuva player. On a new team. Starting the season late.

 

[Isles Junkie]

Clutterbuck Regin Nelson is what the 3rd line should be.

Well Clutterbuck Neilsen Nelson is what the 3rd line really should be, but that would have involved us finally getting a #2 center.

 

[MattMartin]

The trade was a giant bust. Clutterbuck is as soft as tissues. We are the worst 2-1-1 team in the NHL. The Rangers look awesome! (Reverse psychology).

All kidding aside, can we give the guy a few games????????????????
See how good Giroux looks over in Philly not playing much of the preseason.

 

[Space Herpe]

Would I have loved to have heard Cal's name much more doing last night's game?

Yes.


But, it was one game.

 

[checknate]

Clutterbuck AND Bouchard... What happened?
Like i knew Bouchard was weak, but not that weak
I don't like our third line defensively at all
They get the least Ice time compared to any of our other lines.

(rant over)

The bright side is that they are newcomers, They can't get our system that fast I suppose. I do like Petr Regin though, The kid is a lot faster than i thought he was going to be! As for Clutterbuck, I wouldn't worry, it's his first game back, He just needs to find his place.

 

[MatthewBarnabysTears]

Clutterbuck Regin Nelson is what the 3rd line should be.

Well Clutterbuck Neilsen Nelson is what the 3rd line really should be, but that would have involved us finally getting a #2 center.

i can't imagine what frans neilsen would have to do to finally be considered a true number two center by this board

 

[IslanderPride]

I second that ..

 

[Brunomics]

Jesus talk about a reactionary thread!!!!

The guy missed most of the preseason and the first couple of games after getting a leg laceration. He looked exactly like he should've last night. Like a guy that is in his first game back from injury. He'll get better.

Bouchard on the other hand. Wow what a p****. I get he had concussion issues but jeez play the game like a man.

 

[Isles Junkie]

i can't imagine what frans neilsen would have to do to finally be considered a true number two center by this board

come on man. Frans himself knows he's a 3rd line center. He even said as much last year when he was talking Strome up.

 

[giddy up*]

Say what you will. That's water under the bridge now. I'm just saying your front office should have pulled Jason Zucker, or some kind of prospect of quality in exchange for someone who carries the toolbox that Nino does to work every day.

Instead, your guy Garth took in a bender (Clutterbuck) on an expired contract. Then he paid that plug more than UFA Matt Cooke, who is twice, maybe three times the player and plays the same game.

Go away. Calling Clutterbuck a bender and Matt Cooke anything other than a ******* shows your level of hockey intelligence and homerism.

Move along. Thanks for stopping by.

Oh. And as far as this thread. It's one game for a guy coming off an injury. Is this thread serious?

 

[Riddick]

do you understand the concept of value? nino had none. the fact that we got an nhl player in return for an overgrown baby is commendable.

i'd rather not have trash like cooke and nino on my team thanks.

not for nothing, but who gives a **** if nino had 0 value. he also had 0 reason to be traded. under control for, what, 5 more years? dont say 'he had zero value' without at least acknowledging he didnt need to be traded in the least bit.

 

[Hip Of Rick*]

not for nothing, but who gives a **** if nino had 0 value. he also had 0 reason to be traded. under control for, what, 5 more years? dont say 'he had zero value' without at least acknowledging he didnt need to be traded in the least bit.

Someone who gets it. Nino had zero leverage and if he played well to start off the season all would have been forgotten like Viz and Nabby. We traded a potential 1st/2nd line player for a 4th line plug. Clutterbuck is a nice player to have but he is not going to help in the win column. If we wanted a CC type player we could have kept Nino and signed Nystrom or Cooke for less money.