The Islanders are in the midst of a playoff run 27 years in the making, and the team is getting contributions from all throughout the lineup. Mat Barzal has elevated his game as the playoffs have continued, Josh Bailey has put up 17 assists, and Brock Nelson has scored several timely goals. On the back end, Adam Pelech has returned to form a strong top pair with Ryan Pulock, and that pair has helped the Islanders to stifle several opposing offenses. In net, both goalies have proven to be effective with Semyon Varlamov and Thomas Greiss each having big moments in these playoffs. However, there is one other player that has contributed greatly to the team’s run, and that player is Matt Martin.

His road to this situation is a very interesting one. In 2016, Martin was a pending UFA and the Islanders were unable to re-sign him. He would sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs on a four year, $10 million contract to act as a veteran presence for a rebuilding club. He played in all 82 games for the Leafs, tallying five goals, four assists, and 123 penalty minutes for Toronto as a bottom six forward. His team made the playoffs as an eight seed and played the Washington Capitals in round one. He contributed in the round with two helpers, but Toronto fell short in a tightly contested six game series.

The Maple Leafs continued to develop the next year, but Martin became obsolete as the year went on. He was scratched on several occasions throughout the year, and he only played in 50 contests in the 2017-18 campaign. Even with improved numbers on offense with three goals and nine assists, he still saw his playing time reduced and didn’t see the ice in Toronto’s first round defeat to the Boston Bruins.

In the offseason, Toronto was still looking to add to its high powered offense in free agency. To do that, they signed former Islanders captain John Tavares to a seven year, $77 million contract on July 1, 2018. While it was a huge addition to their offense, it left the Maple Leafs in a very tight cap crunch with Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander each due for paydays. In the aftermath of the signing, he was one of the names to go to help clear cap room. As a result, Martin was traded to his former team in exchange for goalie prospect Eamon McAdam on July 3.

While the trade seemed confusing from the Islanders standpoint, it did make sense in a way. After Tavares’ departure, new GM Lou Lamoriello gave the locker room a shakeup by brining in players he was familiar with. He did this by signing Leo Komarov on July 1 to a three year deal, and Martin joined him a few days later. In addition, he has been close to several of the remaining players in the locker room, including former linemates Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck. As a result, Martin’s return brought about the return of one of the best fourth lines in hockey: the “E=MC^2”.

With his return, that line became the best two-way line in head coach Barry Trotz’s new structure. Martin saw his production increase to six goals and eight assists, and Clutterbuck saw his numbers go up to eight goals and 15 helpers. However, his return helped to re-ignite the center in Cizikas, as he enjoyed a career year with 20 goals and 13 helpers for 33 points, including a plus-minus of +22. The fourth line started most of the games in the 2018-19 campaign and was one of the main reasons the Islanders made the playoffs and swept the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Although the line never really saw consistent time together in 2019-20 due to injuries, it was able to be together during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and it has been key to the Islanders’ ability to roll four lines. It has been the line that goes out consistently after goals or a power play, and Cizikas and Clutterbuck have also played well on the penalty kill. Although Clutterbuck only has two assists and Clutterbuck has two goals and two assists, Martin has helped to carry the load on offense for the line. In 19 playoff games this year, he scored five goals and tallied an assist, and his five goals are Barzal for fifth most for New York in the postseason.

As a result, Martin has proven his worth to the Islanders by not only providing great leadership, but helping to reinvigorate the bottom six with Cizikas and Clutterbuck. He has stepped up his game in the postseason, and his success is a driving factor in the team making it back to the Eastern Conference Final. However, he is a pending UFA once the playoffs are over, and he is at risk of being with a different team next season.

While Martin may be a free agent to-be at this point in time, he is making his case as to why he should be back. He has been a key contributor to the team’s playoff run with several timely goals, and his physical presence can set the tone at any point in the game. With how his line with Cizikas and Clutterbuck can perform at optimal performance, he should be back in an Islander uniform at the right price. Even if he may not get as much money as he did with Toronto, Martin is a fan favorite and is a key piece to their locker room. As a result, Martin’s play in the Stanley Cup Playoffs has shown his loyalty to the Islanders, and his efforts should keep him in orange and blue for the future.

Matthew Page

I am a first year student at Hofstra University and an avid Islanders fan. I have been writing for Drive4Five since March 2020. My family has been season ticket holders for the team since 2016, and hockey is my favorite sport. As I expand my knowledge in the field of Journalism, I am writing to express my love for the Islanders and the NHL.