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Top Comments: The End of Islanders Era Edition [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-04-22

Last Tuesday was the Islanders last home game of the season as they will not be making the playoffs this season. I wish they had spent the last three of the season losing but unfortunately they did not and now have a worse draft choice than they could have. They could have been in line to draft one of the best players to come from the Long Islander hockey community since Charlie McAvoy. Interesting side note: McAvoy’s family is a client of my mom’s. The end of this season likely brings to a close the career of one player who made a huge impact on the community here: Matt Martin.

Martin was drafted to the Islanders in the 5th round of the 2008 NHL draft from the Sarnia Sting. As a 5th rounder, there wasn’t much expectation he would be a regular NHler let alone play 15 seasons, 13 of which were spent with the Islanders. His pugilistic skills and hard checking ability got him noticed quickly and within 2 years was a fixture on the Islanders 4th line. When the Islanders added Cal Clutterbuck and Casey Cizikas, the three formed one of the best 4th lines in recent NHL history (some would argue all of NHL history) and became known as the Identity Line setting the standard for the style the team would play. Hard hittting, take no prisioners, blue collar style that has always been a big crowd pleaser on Long Island. Since the NHL began counting hits as a stat, Martin is second in League history in that stat behind only his linemate Cal Clutterbuck.

As I said, Matt has made a huge impact on the community on Long Island. Every year, including the two seasons he played for Toronto, he holds a youth hockey for local kids. He hosts numerous fundraising events including an annual poker event to raise money not just for the Islander Childrens Foundation, but for other local charities. After marrying Sydney Easion, Boomer’s daughter (Boomer a die-hard Rags fan probably wasn’t thrilled at first when they started dating LOL), he got involved in the Cystic Fibrosis organization as Sydney’s brother suffers from that disease.

Prior to the game last week, he gave a very emotional interview to the press about how much the team, the fans and the community meant to him. The support he got so quickly early on never wavered. During the game, the Islanders played a tribute video for him and announced he is their candidate this season for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy which goes to the player who best presents leadership qualities on and off the ice and humanitarian contributions to his community. (NHL website). This got him his first standing ovation of the night from the crowd. At the end of the game, former Islander Anthony Beauvillier lead his current team, the Washington Capitals, to form a handshake line to congratulate Martin on his career. He then waved to the crowd as a way of thanking them for their support over the years.

Unfortunately for Matt, he will likely finish just short of the 1000 games played mark unless he gets a contract somewhere next season. He could have done it playing more games this season, but our coach didn’t make it happen.

Now for a personal story about him.

Martin was also a big community supporter off the ice as well. After being drafted to the team back in 2008, he was in town for the Islanders annual rookie camp. Back then, the camp was held at the Islanders old practice facility in Syosset, NY. Also back, the Islanders would allow fans to watch practices at the practice facility including allowing fans to watch rookie camp. The facility was fairly small and you could easily interact with the players and coaching staff. The team, in those days, really wanted their fans and their players were all part of a community invested in the team’s success. That summer, there were quite a few of us who spent the entire week attending the camp with the players.

We fans spent loads of time telling the newly drafted and other young players all about Long Island and the Islanders. Most of the young players had never been to Long Island, some never even been to NY or the US for those from Europe. If they knew anything about the area it was the team had won 4 straight Stanley Cups in the early 80s. The kids were really friendly and very interested to learn. In fact, I got close with a few of them who were all going to be playing in Sarnia the next season, including Martin. I told Matt my sister and I liked to travel up to Canada to watch the newly drafted Islanders play for their CHL teams during the season and was interested in heading up to Sarnia to see him and his teammates. We exchanged emails to keep in contact. As luck would have it, that December, Sarnia would have a couple of games back to back on a Friday and Saturday. One at home and one in London, Ont which is only an hour drive from Sarnia. I quickly purchased two tickets for the game in Sarnia but could not get any for the game in London. Apparently, they sell out. Thankfully, I had Matt’s email and sent one of to him to see if he could get me a couple tickets knowing most buildings usually have seats set aside for the opposing players to give out. He was able to get me two tickets in the very last row of the building. They happened to be on the red line so for me they were perfect as Junior Hockey buildings are smaller than NHL buildings. Because it was December, my mom was baking her annual holiday cookies, so my sister and I snuck three boxes across the boarder as we were driving in from Detroit for each of the three drafted players. We got nice props from the three of them when we met up after the game to hand them over.

Best wishes to Matt on his career and the birth of his twin boys next month. I know you will continue to be a big presence in community and go above beyond in all your charitable endeavors.

PS Thank goodness the Islanders fired their GM. 4 seasons too late, imo, but better than waiting another couple.

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