The 37 year old, whose current Stingrays side are likely to finish in an all time high seventh place in the Elite League, joined the club two summers ago having had his spell as head coach of CHL side the Corpus Christi Ice Rayz cut short.
Although last season, his first as coach in the UK, ended in an eighth place finish and also saw the veteran of some 1000 games record his lowest points total since 02/03, just 24 points from 44 games, he returned for the second year of his two year contract early on, eager to improve the club's fortunes this year.
A turbulent summer ensued in which Cloutier quickly built a squad only for the club's funding to be withdrawn by founding owners Mike and Sue Pack, who departed after seven years at the club, leaving the club very much on the brink.
Just as it looked too late, the club was miraculously saved late in the day by his former employers at the Coventry Blaze, where the Canadian spent two years prior to initially retiring in 08/09, and he was retained with the aim of rebuilding the previously completed squad.
The Mont-Laurier, Quebec native has today been rewarded for the hardwork put in during those difficult months last summer with a new contract that will give him the time and opportunity to build a squad on level terms with the rest of the league and he spoke of his happiness at agreeing to terms for a third year:
"I am extremely excited about coming back again next year and building on what we have achieved in the last two years. The organisation wanted me back and I wanted to come back. With the new management taking over, we have made a big improvement this year and there is a lot to look forward to."
His re-signing provides some much needed continuity for a club that generally struggles to hold on to its players and his next task will be retaining a solid core of the team as soon as possible ahead of 11/12 season.
While his return as coach should have almost been a foregone conclusion, given how well he did building his current squad last summer with massive time constraints, his return on the ice as a player was less so.
At 37 he is the second oldest player in the league behind only Dundee player-coach Dan Ceman (38), who happens to lead his side in every offensive category, and, put simply, Cloutier does not lead his side in any statistical category, far from it.
Far more important than that though is that on the ice, emotionally and physically, Cloutier - who will enter his 19th professional season next year - leads his side near enough every night. It is very easy to see why the Stingrays player-coach was a captain for so many successful, championship winning sides, and for a team like the Stingrays, that can't afford a night off, that attitude and mindset is so very important.
Five games remain in the 10/11 regular season and each of those five is crucial for the Stingrays momentum as they progress towards just their second ever playoff appearance with a real chance of making the final four weekend in Nottingham in the first weekend in April.
After the challenging task of leading the Rays in the playoffs, Cloutier must then once again start from the beginning, rebuilding as he did twice last summer. This time though there are some big decisions to be made with big players that have not contributed as expected but that may once again contribute next season. Likewise, there are a number of players that have outperformed expectations that will either want an increased wage or a move to another club, in which case they will need to be replaced.
Either way, provided there are no last minute summer setbacks, Cloutier will be happy to have time on his side this time round ahead of the 11/12 season.
