New York Islanders: Re-signing Matt Martin is a must

The New York Islanders must bring back Matt Martin.

Due to this horrible pandemic, having a flat salary cap at $81.5 million has caused headaches for many National Hockey League clubs. One club that is in dire need of freeing up cap space is the New York Islanders, who have their eyes set on bring back RFA’s Mat Barzal and Ryan Pulock with only around $8.9 million available as of now.

Both these players will be back with the club next season as general manager Lou Lamoriello will work his magic in moving one of the many undesirable contracts currently on this roster.

While those RFA’s mentioned above are the top priority for a franchise trying to stay on the winning path, a path that took years to finally find, there is another player that needs to be brought back. That player is veteran fourth-liner Matt Martin.

While as many as seven teams reached out about the gritty veteran, he would like to remain a part of this organization, the place he started his NHL journey with and for fans, hoping it is the place where he calls it a career when the time comes.

More from Puck Prose

• Detroit Red Wings 2023 Rookie Camp Has Plenty of Ups and Downs
• This Columbus Blue Jackets rookie doesn’t want to be forgotten
• 2 trades the Boston Bruins must make to secure the Stanley Cup
• 3 reasons the Avalanche won’t win the Stanley Cup in 2024
• This is a big year for Alex Turcotte and the Los Angeles Kings

Nothing is official until the pen hits the paper, as Islander fans know that way too well.

Before I get into the reasons why he must be on the roster whenever the 2020-21 campaign begins, let’s dive into the reasons why the team COULD move on from number 17.

For starters, Matt Martin will be entering his age 31, and based on his performance as an Islander, adding his strong play in the bubble playoff run (5 goals, 1 assist) it would be unjust to give him anything less than $1.75 million, his salary for this past season. Even if he stays at that mark, with the cap not fluctuating and the Islanders having their back against the wall, it may not be doable, even at such a low number.

Can someone else on the team take his spot on the fourth line?

The short answer is yes. With players like 26-year old Ross Johnston, who has a size advantage over Martin and is under control for another season ($1 M) or 33-year old Leo Komarov, who the Islanders owe $6 million to over the next two seasons, this team has players that can fill that physical role, without it being a downgrade.

But to me, it is not as simple as that. You see the reasons above why Martin may not need to be brought back, but that does not satisfy me one bit.

For starters, this Islander team is hoping prospects like Keiffer Bellows, Oliver Wahlstrom, and Noah Dobson are able to take their careers to the next level.  Other teams may try to welcome these youngsters to the NHL with vicious hits and dirty slashes. They need someone on the team that is not going to let opponents get off scott free, as one of Martin’s roles is serving as their bodyguard. He always stands up for his teammates, but is also smart enough to pick the right time to drop the gloves, while not taking undisciplined penalties.

By himself, Martin is a typical fourth line player and on other teams he might not even crack the starting lineup. We saw when he left the Islanders for two years to join the Toronto Maple Leafs following the 2015-16 season, how dispensible he is in the wrong system. In his second and final year with the Leafs, he only played in 50 games, as a healthy scratch became more of a regularity.

In the right system, with the right players around him, Martin’s value is immeasurable. Alongside Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck, Martin makes this line one of the most used fourth line in hockey, as they break away from the “fourth line” status quo.

This past season was a nightmare for the most dynamic fourth line in hockey. Martin led his linemates in games played in the shortened-regular season, suiting up for 55 of the 68 games. Cizikas and Clutterbuck misses significant time as they both dealt with skate lacerations, as Casey played in 48 games with Cal playing in just 37.

But when these men were back together once the playoffs began, the energy of this team skyrocketed.

They looked like a team with all the confidence in the world, despite ending their season on a seven-game losing streak (0-3-4).

This fourth line, each and every shift, drove up the momentum for other lines to go out there and work just as hard. The MC squared line as they are referred to is the heart and soul of this team, making that the biggest reason Martin needs to be brought back.

Without Martin on the wing, there is still a fourth line, but I can assure you it will have a much more drastic effect if he is not there.