Martin: 'My Heart was Definitely to Stay Here'

Matt Martin is staying on the Island.

There was no hesitation from Martin regarding his decision to re-sign with the Islanders instead of pursuing free agency over the offseason. Martin, who has spent eight of his 10 NHL seasons on Long Island, is one of the linchpins of the team's core who have all practically grown up together. He made it clear in his Zoom interview to reporters on Wednesday afternoon that being an Islander has always been his priority.
"I just wanted to see it through here and be a part of this franchise as long as I can be," Martin said. "I call Long Island home now. They showed the trust and investment in me for four years. My goal is to go and pay that off to them. My heart was always to stay here. My plan was always to stay here."
Martin, who is a homegrown product since being drafted by the organization in 2008 (fifth round, 148th overall), may not be the leading scorer, but in a lot of ways, he embodies the heart and soul of the 'Islander Way.' Fondly referred to as 'The Mayor of Long Island' by fans and teammates, Martin has earned a beloved reputation for his unwavering commitment and sacrifice for his teammates. The left-winger is also one-third of the Islanders 'Identity Line' alongside Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck, who Head Coach Barry Trotz named and has repeatedly praised since he joined the team in 2018.
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During the Islanders run to the 2020 Eastern Conference Final, the 31-year-old was rewarded for his inspiring play. He set a career best with his five goals and six points through 22 playoff games and nearly surpassed his season total of eight points (5G, 3A) through 55 regular season contests. He also led the Islanders with a team-high of 242 hits during the regular season.
"Matt has a lot of the intangibles," Head Coach Barry Trotz said. "The type of player that he is, everyone is aware of that, but he's a good piece of the culture here on the Island. You saw in the playoffs how valuable Matt is on our team from a standpoint of bringing the physical attributes. He's a guy that had to move around in the lineup a little bit at times and play different situations. He's a good, reliable pro. He's finding the back of the net a little bit more. I think he feels he's a big part of what we do."
When it comes to his teammates, he's not just an integral piece of the Islanders leadership group, but he makes an effort to unify the team as a whole. Martin is often one to go out of his way to welcome newcomers or mentor some of the bright-eyed younger players.
His character on and off the ice drives his fellow teammates to want to do the same.
"He's a guy for our team that doesn't get as much notoriety as other guys do, but he brings the energy and the passion," Jordan Eberle said. "The energy of the [Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck] line, he's a huge part of that. With his hits, physicality, the commitment level of blocking shots and sticking up to teammates. Those are the guys - I like to call them glue guys - that bring your team together. It's those little moments throughout the year that bring our team together and move us forward."
A defining factor that has propelled the Islanders to have success over the past few seasons is their selfless mentality and their comprehension of how their individual role compliments the collective group.
For Martin, he's stayed true to his role with his gritty and noble style of play, but has also managed to evolve his game season-after-season. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound winger has created success in the demanding areas of the ice, whether it's crashing the crease, jockeying below the hash marks or making a tight play along the boards, he's always in the mix of a battle.

But in the dire moments of heated games, sometimes it's those small, ruthless plays that unfold as the deciding factor.
"When you get older, hopefully your experiences make you stronger," Trotz said. "Your body can wear you down a little bit, no question. Certain players, they recognize that's the way they have to play. Matt is one of those players. There's a lot of players that come in the league, they're rambunctious, they're physical and that makes them special in the league. Then, they get away from it and so does their career. They become something that they're really not. That's a problem with Matt. Matt understands how he has to play and how he's effective. But also, Matt is growing his game...He's been effective in the playoffs and will continue to be effective. From my standpoint, he knows who he is and how he has to play. That's not going to change."
After sitting in the dressing room following the painful Game 6 ECF loss to the eventual Stanley Cup champs in Tampa Bay, Martin and his teammates have a deeper chip on their shoulders than in seasons past when they were overlooked as legitimate Cup contenders.
Now, their expectations for themselves have been raised. With the return of Martin and the vast majority of the same group from last season, they're looking forward to taking care of some unfinished business.
And for the foreseeable next four years Martin is here to stay.
"I just want to go out there and continue doing what we've done in the past," Martin said. "Our goal is to win a Stanley Cup, we fell short of that last year, but there's no complacency in our group. This year is a new year and the goal remains the same."