The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word ISLANDER
I
S
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A
N
D
E
R
More clues leading to the result ISLANDER
- Insular type this writer maligns
- I defame Manxman, perhaps
- Samoan, maybe large, prepared sardine outside
- Erin lad's possibly is one?
- I throw mud at one from eleven, perhaps
- Man's man?
- Polynesian perhaps is left with shelter, son expressed
- Jerseyman, for example, I defame
- Brit in India, one smoothing over quarrel at last?
- Independent small spacecraft, one based in Sicily?
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "an NHL player" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case an nhl player = islander.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does ISLANDER mean?
ISLANDER noun- A person who lives on an island.