After 15 NHL seasons, Matt Martin officially announced his retirement from the NHL this afternoon. In tandem with that, New York Islanders General Manager and Executive Vice President Mathieu Darche named Martin a “Special Assistant to the General Manager.”
From the Islanders Press Release:
“Martin, 36, played 987 games over 15 NHL seasons, including 855 games in 13 seasons with the Islanders. He scored 178 regular-season points (81 goals, 97 assists) with the Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs, while adding 13 points (eight goals, five assists) in 88 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
The Islanders selected Martin in the fifth round (148th overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft. His 995 career penalty minutes as an Islander are the sixth-most in franchise history, while his 855 regular-season games with the club are eighth-most in club history. Martin’s 82 playoff games as an Islander rank 15th on the franchise leaderboard, and his 141 playoff penalty minutes are the eighth-most in Islanders history.”
Special Assistant to the General Manager:
So, let’s first discuss the title and what it means. This is a very common path for retiring players who have serious management potential to jump right into the executive space.
Look no further than Jason Spezza, currently the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Assistant General Manager and their AHL affiliate’s General Manager. When Spezza retired in 2022, then-Maple Leafs General Manager Kyle Dubas hired him to the same title Martin now holds.
Spezza’s an unquestionable future NHL General Manager. Additionally, when Alexander Steen retired from the St. Louis Blues, they named him to that same title. He will become their General Manager this time next year.
This shouldn’t come as a shock. Elliotte Friedman alluded to exactly this situation back during the Islanders’ search that landed on Darche:
“I also wonder, too, if they’re going to want an Islander in there. Like a Matt Martin or Thomas Hickey. Those are a couple of names I could see. Train them in the business… A Martin or a Hickey, we want that kind of blood, someone who bleeds that Islanders’ blue, working under a more senior person. Not necessarily a GM yet, but learning to for some years down the line.”
How Much Martin Means to the Team and Its Fans:
You don’t have to look very hard. Right now, as I write this, Islanders’ social media is ablaze with fans tributing out to Matt Martin. Just in April, UBS Arena and the Washington Capitals sent him off in an amazing way. Then, so did the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Then, there’s a stockpile of quotes from his teammates on those final days:
Ryan Pulock:
“It’s tough. He’s been such a big part here. The friendship that we created, the friendship that he’s created in this locker room. What he’s meant to this locker room since he’s been here, and obviously since I’ve been here. It’s emotional to see that. He’s one of my favorite teammates, for sure. So I think a nice send-off if this is it for him. He’s done a lot for this franchise and he’s done a lot for the individuals in here. He’s done a lot for the community around here with his foundation work. I think just an A-plus person, and he’s carried himself the right way throughout his career. He’s stuck up for his teammates. So it’s special to be a part of tonight.”
Simon Holmstrom:
“He’s been a massive part of this team for a long time now. He’s one of the leaders on this team, both on and off the ice, and he takes care of everybody and always checks in and always has a big smile on his face and laughs around. Like I said, he’s been a massive part of this team.”
Anders Lee:
“Marty’s meant a lot. He’s meant a lot to this organization on and off the ice. I think the impact he’s made in the community, the way he’s handled himself and represented, being an Islander, I think it doesn’t get more true than Marty. He’s been a really good friend and teammate for a long time, and I’ve had the pleasure to be in the room with him and go through a lot with him on the ice and in the room. [He’s] just a special person that I think has had a hell of a career and deserves all the recognition and honors moving forward and being recognized as one of the great Islanders for what he’s done for this team and the organization.”
