Saying Goodbye
NHLer attends the Masters, immediately realizes it's time to retire
It has been nearly one full year since Cal Clutterbuck played in a NHL game. But the 17-year veteran never officially retired from the sport that he amassed over 1,000 games played in. All it took was one trip to Augusta National to make him realize it was time to hang up the skates. Sort of.
In an extremely matter-of-fact announcement on social media, Clutterbuck, who played 11 seasons with the New York Islanders and six with the Minnesota Wild, began by saying he was just hanging on the couch on Masters Saturday, watching some golf. Hardly surprising, as Clutterbuck is an avid golfer who sports a handicap that begins with a plus sign, per Golf Digest's 2020 list of the top athlete golfers.
Two days earlier, as Clutterbuck explains, he was at the Masters (his T-shirt in the video is a dead giveaway). Clutterbuck, 37, attended Round 1 with his dad and some friends, which he described as awesome, naturally.
While strolling the hallowed grounds, it hit him.
"I couldn't help but think how I would have never been able to do that if I were still playing hockey," said Clutterbuck. "Which brings me to this announcement post.
"Obviously I haven't played hockey in the NHL in a year and I think it's safe to say that everyone assumed, but I'm going to make it official today. I am retiring from the NHL, and... um... I really have no idea how to do this. So, that's it. I'm done. See ya."
Back to the golf ...
Genuinely couldn't be more of a hockey guy if he tried. No retirement tour, no media, cameras, gifts from every other team at his last away game. No tears. No video tributes. Just a "peace out, I'm done." Incredible stuff. And all it took was Clutterbuck laying his eyes on Amen Corner in person to realize it and say "yeah, I'd rather be here than killing another power play right now and taking a puck off the shin." The power of Augusta National, folks. It's real.
