Cutter, Buck: Cal to Miss 'Extended Period' With Lacerated Leg

Arthur Staple teased the lede earlier this afternoon, but now makes it official with a post on Newsday.com. Cal Clutterbuck took a skate to the leg last night in Calgary and will miss, in coach Jack Capuano's words, "some extended time."

How long and how bad the injury is, Capuano didn't say. The time frame for skate lacerations could be anything. Kirill Kabanov missed four months for the Sound Tigers last season after his wrist was cut on October 25th, 2012. Ottawa's Erik Karlsson had his Achilles tendon cut by Matt Cooke and was back in the Senators' lineup just in time for the playoffs 10 weeks later. Karlsson may also be part Kryptonian.

From Staple:

Clutterbuck played in the split-squad game against the Flames in Calgary on Tuesday night and left the game in the third period after throwing a hit on Calgary's Paul Byron.

It was the first game of any kind in an Islanders uniform for Clutterbuck, 25, who signed a four-year, $11 million deal in July after the Isles traded for him. Clutterbuck was a mainstay in the Wild lineup during his five seasons there and began training camp on a line with Peter Regin and Michael Grabner.

Regardless of where we (or the coaches) figured Clutterbuck would play, his absence leaves a hole in the Islanders' everyday line-up. The "competition for spots" that Capuano has been talking about since before camp even started just took on a new dimension.

Who gets that spot will depend on how long Clutterbuck is out and who shows the coaches what they want to see in camp.

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