Player Discussion: Matt Martin

[Wanderson]

He is so important. His attitude is key and I believe he leads by example.

10-11 minutes into the first period he blocked two shots. One by the inside of his foot, 10 seconds after he blocked another one by the inside of his knee. True warrior!

 

[FourRings]

Martin is a true Islander.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

He is so important. His attitude is key and I believe he leads by example.

10-11 minutes into the first period he blocked two shots. One by the inside of his foot, 10 seconds after he blocked another one by the inside of his knee. True warrior!

I love seeing posts like these. Martin is a total plays for the logo player. It's infectious when players sacrifice for the team. You won't see this on an excel spreadsheet, but it is measured in the lead by example stats. Good of you to take note too.

 

[blinkman360]

Really surprised how easily some are ready to let this guy walk. I think he comes back for another year at least in the $1.5M range. Considering how often this line is referred to as our “identity”, it would be pretty silly to throw that away over $1.5-$2M(tops).

Martin will be back.

 

[PK Cronin]

Really surprised how easily some are ready to let this guy walk. I think he comes back for another year at least in the $1.5M range. Considering how often this line is referred to as our “identity”, it would be pretty silly to throw that away over $1.5-$2M(tops).

Martin will be back.

He needs to be replaced sooner or later and I think locking him up for any amount of term is a mistake. Money is also a problem.

 

[blinkman360]

He needs to be replaced sooner or later and I think locking him up for any amount of term is a mistake. Money is also a problem.

Tbf we’ll have to replace everyone sooner or later. Doesn’t mean it has to be now, especially while this line is still playing at a high level.

I get that we’ll be strapped but (unless I’m off on this number) $1.5M isn’t exactly a huge investment. Especially when you consider the alternatives are a rookie ELC at $700-800K or a no name AHLer or a vet trying to resurrect their career for a mil. Either way at best we save $800K by not bringing him back. I think that money is more than worth keeping what we know works. Not to mention it can most likely just be a 1 year commitment with no risk.

There are plenty of other avenues to conserve cap. Trade Leddy for futures, bury Ladd and/of Leo, attach a pick to Boychuk if needed. Doubt we’ll be able to bring in any big additions, but we should be able to keep the core together while implementing some of our high end prospects.

 

[steveat]

Many people fail to realize that part of the reason of the success of that line is Martin's hockey IQ. It's sneaky high. If he had the skills of No-Sang, he'd be an elite player.

 

[19 in a row]

Edit: I have changed this so many times as I am writing from the heart, fighting with myself and don't want to see the team without him. And no I dont need a Kleenex .. ok maybe if he leaves but not just yet. I might even start eating quiche

I thought that he was gone as well, but seeing what he means to this team, this fanbase and what the Islanders seem to mean to him, I am hoping they can get something done. Maybe a two year ,deal that has little impact on our net cap relative to a player on an ELC. Maybe 2 years $1.25M -$1.5M AAV. If some of our kids are ready for full time and MM doesn't make the top 14 out of camp, then would accept the risk of losing him if we sent him to BST. Most of the $1.25M would be buried if he did pass through waivers. If he would accept a two way deal then I would see it as a no brainer.

At this stage of his career, would anybody really be able to offer him enough to lure him away? If so then good for him. Even if that is the case, and he leaves after this year, I would be very surprised if he is not with the team in some capacity after he retires, whether that be 2 years or 5 years down the road.

And yes I get very attached to the guys that came up through our system and have embrace the team and fanbase. IMHO, he is the closest thing to Mr Islander for this generation (even though he left for a few years, although I can't seem to remember where he went or what team he played for, but they must have sucked since he seems so happy to be back).

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

I wouldn't mind bringing him back with a low cap hit, but it would have to absolutely be a 1 year deal.

 

[doublechili]

I've posted this before, but Martin has to know that the best place to start his post-NHL career is here. Whether it's with the organization or in TV, etc., he could be shooting himself in the foot to chase an extra $500k by signing somewhere else and risk severing the connections he has here. I expect him to come back on a reasonable deal.

 

[Beacon Isles]

I've posted this before, but Martin has to know that the best place to start his post-NHL career is here. Whether it's with the organization or in TV, etc., he could be shooting himself in the foot to chase an extra $500k by signing somewhere else and risk severing the connections he has here. I expect him to come back on a reasonable deal.

Thats probably the best point. Ive wondered if he would be willing to take less, or if he'd try to get one last big(ger) payday?

I would only want to go 1 yr though. Like others have said, 1 yr, $1-1.5M, if he would take it, would be ideal. Basically him and Ross being the 12/13 Fs for a total hit of $2-2.5 M

 

[JKP]

Solid guy. Always throws my son a puck during warmups.

Threw mine the first star puck at a pens game we'd driven 14 hours to see 6 years ago. My then 8 yo became a Martin fan for life.

 

[JKP]

I think 2yrs at 1.5M per would be fair for all parties.

 

[Seph]

He needs to be replaced sooner or later and I think locking him up for any amount of term is a mistake. Money is also a problem.

Martin is a tricky one, since so much of what he brings to the team are "intangibles" and those are extremely difficult to gauge value on. But with the RFAs we need to re-sign and the cap staying flat, unless he takes a significant paycut of at least half his current AAV, I have a hard time to see us fitting him in, and even with his intangibles, I don't see him as a guy you go out of your way to make room to fit in.

But @doublechili makes a very good point about a fan favorite thinking about taking a paycut to stay with a team they are popular with, as it opens up options for them after their playing career is done, which is something Martin should be thinking about. Not to mention, he did already get one very nice payday with the 10mil over 4 years deal, so I do see the possibility he might sign for around 1mil a year. If he is willing to take that kind of paycut though, I don't really mind if he gets a few years of term, as that'd mean we can bury his caphit in the minors if someone outplays him for that spot -- assuming the owners are onboard with that as an option.

 

[FourRings]

He's really valuable to this team and it's culture. I think that he'll take a paycut to stick around; he's an Islander through and through.

I think he's so well liked and respected here that he would be towards the top of the list to replace Butchie in the booth (assuming he wants that and he's decent at it).

 

[MattMartin]

He's really valuable to this team and it's culture. I think that he'll take a paycut to stick around; he's an Islander through and through.

I think he's so well liked and respected here that he would be towards the top of the list to replace Butchie in the booth (assuming he wants that and he's decent at it).

This is my hope as well. At worst, some job with the Islanders somewhere very close to the team. Make him the locker room coach (I know there is no such position)

 

[MattMartin]

Really surprised how easily some are ready to let this guy walk. I think he comes back for another year at least in the $1.5M range. Considering how often this line is referred to as our “identity”, it would be pretty silly to throw that away over $1.5-$2M(tops).

Martin will be back.

Same people who swore up and down that Chimera was superior in every single way. NOT form the footage I witnessed. I'm hoping 2 years at 1 mil a year.

 

[Sparksrus3]

Same people who swore up and down that Chimera was superior in every single way. NOT form the footage I witnessed.


I'm hoping 2 years at 1 mil a year.

That’s on par with Ross the boss. The pugilist has 2 years remaining on his 4 year at 1 mill per season contract...

 

[Seph]

Same people who swore up and down that Chimera was superior in every single way. NOT form the footage I witnessed. I'm hoping 2 years at 1 mil a year.

Chimera was definitely better than Martin for his first season here. He was a bit of a train wreck the second one, but all of the bottom six looked terrible during the Doug Weight season, and I doubt Martin would've been the exception.

 

[MattMartin]

Chimera was definitely better than Martin for his first season here. He was a bit of a train wreck the second one, but all of the bottom six looked terrible during the Doug Weight season, and I doubt Martin would've been the exception.

I kindly disagree. The sum of the parts without Martin never added up. I'm not saying Chimera wasn't a better overall player. I'm saying he was like a crocodile at a alligator rally (for reference see below) with CC squared. Chimera is the better player, Martin is the better fit. Sort of like Tavares in Toronto, I think Kadri was more valuable in the grand scheme of things.

 

[MattMartin]

That’s on par with Ross the boss. The pugilist has 2 years remaining on his 4 year at 1 mill per season contract...

Which in no way will cripple us cap wise.

 

[JeffNYI]

Matt Martin is a player and person that should never again wear any other NHL uniform other than ours.

I said $1M for 1 year earlier in this thread just to do something nice and clean and make sure he comes back.. others have said he's worth $1.5M... of course he is..

Lou acquired him not for one reason -- but for many reasons.. I reject the idea that Lou would let MM walk this coming off-season if anything even remotely sensible is on the table..

Martin needs to retire an Islander, on both his and the teams' terms..

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

What's the reasoning behind a 2 year deal? Wouldn't it be more prudent to evaluate year to year, especially considering he's basically the 12th forward and could easily be bumped?

 

[JKP]

What's the reasoning behind a 2 year deal? Wouldn't it be more prudent to evaluate year to year, especially considering he's basically the 12th forward and could easily be bumped?

To give the man some respect and reward for what he’s brought. [email protected] per is super low risk. Goes south, only costs $500k / yr in cap. Shows commitment to people who shownit back. Plus I like him. And it’s not my money...

 

[periferal]

I've posted this before, but Martin has to know that the best place to start his post-NHL career is here. Whether it's with the organization or in TV, etc., he could be shooting himself in the foot to chase an extra $500k by signing somewhere else and risk severing the connections he has here. I expect him to come back on a reasonable deal.

Been saying this for a while. Matt Martin just is an Islander and he should be with the organization in some capacity. Whatever Eric Cairns has been doing Matt Martin could do +.

The thing is that as good of a guy as he is, he's really almost a zero in terms of a player at this point. He's making 2.5M this season and given how bad the cap situation is in 20-21 there's no way he can bring him back for more than 1M.

In fact I believe that Lou probably views Johnston as Martin's replacement so there's a good chance Martin is playing out the remainder of his Islander career in these playoffs.

That said doesn't mean he can't come back and have a position with us in a few years when he officially retires.