An Update From Matt Martin

EAST MEADOW, NY -- With less than a month before the New York Islanders open training camp, NHL veteran Matt Martin is still without a contract.

Due to three separate injuries, the 35-year-old suited up for only 57 games in 2023-24. He missed the remaining two games of their first-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes, which could have served as the final two games of his NHL career.

When we spoke with Martin following the end of the season, the 15-year NHLer made it clear that hanging up the skates wasn't on his do-to list, at least not yet.

"The retirement narrative wasn’t something I started," Martin said back on May 1.

Last week, Martin hosted his ninth annual Matt Martin Hockey Academy at Northwell Ice Center, the Islanders practice facility.

Related: Campers Continue To Make Lifelong Memories At Matt Martin's Annual Hockey Academy

Following the camp's conclusion on Friday, The Hockey News spoke with Martin to get an update about his future.

Spoiler alert: Retirement is still not on his mind.

"I'm focused on playing here, first and foremost," Martin said. "We'll see how things unfold."

Martin has established roots on Long Island with his wife, Sydney, two daughters, and two dogs, and he has immersed himself in the Long Island community through his foundation.

Moving elsewhere at this juncture of his career wouldn't be ideal, but that doesn't mean it won't happen if another team comes calling.

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Many people wrote Martin off ahead of the 2021-22 season after he underwent off-season ankle surgery to fix a bone chip. He missed the start of that season and didn't look super strong once he was back in the lineup.

Despite many believing that the game had just passed Martin by, he showed everyone that he wasn't just "slowing down," playing in 71 of the club's 82 games with 235 hits after just 181 hits in the season prior.

Then, in 2022-23, he silenced everyone, missing just one game due to the birth of his younger daughter. He had 43 blocks, the second-highest in his NHL career, along with 295 hits, the most since the 2016-17 season (300), his first year in Toronto.

Martin only had 151 hits in 57 games last season, the second-lowest total of his career, with 29 blocks, finding himself back in the same position with a similar narrative.

But he wasn't healthy, so judging him on what transpired this past season would be unfair -- the same can be said about Scott Mayfield , who struggled in 2023-24, playing 40 games on a broken ankle.

"The injuries feel pretty good now," Martin said. "I've been training all summer like I normally would for any season."

Martin's health is the first and most important step in continuing his career, but just because he feels 100 percent doesn't mean he should automatically be handed back his starting fourth-line role.

He'd have to earn it, and that's what he would tell you.

Martin isn't trying to look too far ahead into the crystal ball; that's just not how he is wired.

"You have known me for a long time now. I'm kind of a 'take everything day by day' person," Martin said. "And when opportunities or situations arise, we'll deal with them when the time comes.

"But as of now, I'm focused on getting back to the gym and skating. Everything will sort itself out."

Outside of two years in Toronto (2016-2018), Martin has been a lifelong Islander, drafted by the club 148th overall in 2008.

He sits 45 games shy of reaching the 1,000-game milestone, something he saw his longtime linemate Cal Clutterbuck, who is also without a contract, reach last season.

Currently, the Islanders are $950,000 over the allotted $88 million salary cap. So, bringing Martin back on a league-minimum deal of $750,000 would have to wait until general manager Lou Lamoriello figures a few things out.

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