Matt Martin announces retirement, steps into front office role with Islanders
After 15 NHL seasons, Matt Martin is hanging up his skates.
On Tuesday, the longtime NHL forward announced his retirement with the New York Islanders, and will join the organization’s front office as Special Assistant to the General Manager, aiding Mathieu Darche in his first season in the role.
Stepping away from playing at 36 years old, Martin played 987 games over 15 NHL seasons, with all but 132 coming with the Islanders, in what became a legendary career in New York City.
Outside of his time with the Islanders, he played parts of two seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and ended his career with 81 goals and 178 points in the regular season.
Additionally, he skated in 88 Stanley Cup Playoff games between the two organizations, scoring eight goals and 13 points, with his longest run coming in the 2020 COVID-impacted playoffs, when the Islanders fell in six games in the Eastern Conference Final to the eventual Stanley Cup-winning Tampa Bay Lightning.
At the same time, Martin was one of the last five players in the NHL not to wear a visor, alongside Ryan O’Reilly, Jamie Benn, Zach Bogosian, and Ryan Reaves.
Originally a fifth-round pick in the 2008 NHL Draft, Martin’s physical play defined his game, and he amassed 1168 penalty minutes, including 995 as an Islander, to rank as the sixth-most in franchise history.
Prior to his NHL career, Martin played his first professional season with New York’s AHL affiliate in Bridgeport, after previously playing three seasons with the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League, where he scored 46 goals and 109 points in 166 games.
Outside of his on-ice accolades, Martin became one of the key pieces to longtime NHL general manager Lou Lamoreillo’s plans in Toronto and New York, earning his final contract following a tryout in the fall of 2024.
“Marty understands his role. Marty understands what he brings to this team, not only on the ice but off the ice,” Lamoriello said after giving Martin what turned out to be his final contract.
“He understands that he won’t be in the lineup every night, and he can accept that role. It will be a coaching decision each and every night. And we all know what he does physically when necessary. And I’m sure all of you know, in speaking to him over the years, what he brings to the locker room.”
Although the front office no longer includes Lamoriello, Martin steps into the role as the Islanders look to improve in a new era, which begins with the first overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.