Matt Martin enters Islanders' camp healthy, eager to prove he's worth roster spot
Ryan Pulock, still trying to catch his breath after Day 1 of Patrick Roy’s first training camp with the Islanders ended with a grueling endurance skating drill that even left the always-energetic Mathew Barzal sitting on the ice trying to recover, was discussing Matt Martin.
The longtime fourth-liner did not attract a contract this offseason as an unrestricted free agent and is attending Islanders’ camp on a professional tryout offer with no guarantees he’ll be able to continue his NHL career. The defenseman was asked how Martin, 35, could still help the Islanders.
“Did you see him score out there in the one-on-ones?” Pulock said on Thursday at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow. “Not bad. He can do a lot. On and off the ice, he can do a lot.”
Martin, who has spent 12 of his 14 seasons with the Islanders, struggled through injuries last season to compile four goals, four assists and 43 penalty minutes in 57 games, dressing for three of the five playoff games.
President/general manager Lou Lamoriello has already confirmed the Islanders will not bring back Martin’s longtime linemate Cal Clutterbuck, who remains a UFA. And Lamoriello might not be able to afford to bring back Martin, either, under the $88 million salary cap.
The Islanders are essentially at that mark with a shadow roster of 13 forwards, seven defensemen and two goalies that does not include Martin and is one short of the NHL maximum of 23 players.
Martin said he is not concerning himself with those obstacles now.
“l’m excited to be here at camp,” Martin said. “Last season didn’t end the way anyone wanted it to, especially for myself, being injured and not being able to play. So, mainly I’m just showing that I’m healthy. The body held out good. I feel good.
“I don’t have expectations, necessarily. But as a competitor, you believe you’re going to make any team. I’m very much a day-by-day kind of person. For me, it was about getting through the first day and making sure I feel good.”
The Islanders open their six-game preseason schedule on Sunday night against the Devils in Newark, New Jersey.
Presuming Maxim Tsyplakov, signed as a free agent after being the fourth-leading goal scorer in the KHL last season, will be among the top 12 forwards, Martin is likely competing with Hudson Fasching, Julien Gauthier and Oliver Wahlstrom, among the 32 forwards in camp, for a spot.
“He has nothing to prove to me,” said Roy, who took over as Islanders coach on Jan. 20 for the fired Lane Lambert. “We know the quality of the person. It’s more a Lou matter.”
Notes & quotes: Franchise goalie Ilya Sorokin (back), in the first season of an eight-year, $66 million extension, did not participate with any of the three practice groups on Thursday. Roy said there was timetable for his return…Goalie Tristan Lennox and forwards Daylan Kuefler and Jesse Nurmi were also unavailable…Defenseman Alexander Romanov was asked about Roy’s intense practice. “It was a tough morning, it’s time to go have a nap. I’m deadly tired.”
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
