Cal Clutterbuck will not be heading to the open market.
The New York Islanders checking forward inked a five-year, $17.5-million contract extension Friday. He was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Clutterbuck, 29, has nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 25 games with the Islanders this season. The Welland, Ont., native was named an alternate captain at the start of this season, his fourth with the Islanders and ninth in the NHL.
His new deal, which runs through 2022-23, carries an annual cap hit of $3.5 million and does not include trade protection. Clutterbuck’s previous contract carried a $2.75-million hit.
Last season, Clutterbuck scored 15 goals with eight assists in 77 games. The fan favourite added three points (two goals, one assist) in 11 playoff games, helping the Islanders advance to the second round.
Isles general manager Garth Snow has placed value in his depth forwards. He extended Casey Cizikas for five years last season at a comparable cap hit of $3.35 million.
The Islanders now have a full complement of forwards under contract for 2017-18. Defencemen Calvin De Haan, Dennis Seidenberg and Adam Pelech are on expiring deals, as are goaltenders Thomas Greiss and Jean-Francois Berube.
The Islanders acquired Clutterbuck, along with a third-round pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, from the Minnesota Wild on June 30, 2013, in exchange for Nino Niederreiter.
In 597 career NHL games with the Islanders and Minnesota, Clutterbuck has 177 points (98 goals, 79 assists). He also has eight points (five goals, three assists) in 23 playoff games.
Clutterbuck represented Canada at the 2011 World Championships and the 2005 World Junior Championships, where he won silver.
