Martin could play on what is technically the third line with Casey Cizikas and Hudson Fasching versus the Capitals on Saturday.
Martin has been like a pinball of late, playing on different lines with different players. This has included a stint or two on the top line as coach Lane Lambert has been trying to find the right combination of forwards game in and game out. The return of Cal Clutterbuck (upper body) from IR on Saturday also could indicate that it's only a matter of time until the crash line of Martin, Cizikas and Clutterbuck is put back together.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matt Martin: Bags apple in loss
Rotowire
Martin notched an assist, five shots on goal and three hits in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Kings.
Martin's five shots led the Islanders, who had only 18 attempts on target as a team. The winger continues to chip in offense at a higher-than-usual rate -- he's collected two goals and four helpers over his last seven contests. He's up to 19 points, matching his career-best mark from 2015-16, through 61 games this season. He's also supplied 235 hits, 64 shots on net, 54 PIM and a plus-3 rating. Martin won't produce like this forever, but he's getting a look on the top line at even strength with Mathew Barzal (lower body) out.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matt Martin: Snags helper in win
Rotowire
Martin logged an assist, three shots on goal, three hits and two PIM in Monday's 4-2 win over the Penguins.
The Islanders are missing a handful of wingers to injury, so Martin should have some job security until the team's health improves. The helper was his fourth point (two goals, two assists) over the last five games -- Martin is definitely making good use of an increased role. The 33-year-old is at 17 points (two shy of his career high) with 58 shots on net, 229 hits, 54 PIM and a plus-1 rating through 59 appearances this season.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matt Martin: Lights the lamp
Rotowire
Martin scored his sixth goal of the season in the 4-3 loss to the Canadiens on Saturday.
Martin has already doubled his goal production from last season, and that also goes for his assists. Martin is not relied upon to provide offense on a regular basis, but every little bit helps, especially for a team that can struggle to put the puck in the net at times. Martin also has 211 hits and is on pace to have the most hits he's had in a season since the 2016-17 campaign, and that's where his value lies to the team and fantasy players.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matt Martin: Top three in hits
Rotowire
Martin is third in the league in hits with 198 in 51 games this season.
Martin is on pace to have more than 300 hits this season, something he hasn't done since he had 365 in 2015-16. Martin only has five goals and 13 points so far this year, so if he's not hitting anything and everything that moves, he's not adding much value to the team. Cal Clutterbuck (upper body), Casey Cizikas, and Martin used to be mainstays on the energy line for the Isles, but injuries and lack of offense have forced coach Lane Lambert to mix and match his lines on what seems like a shift-by-shift basis this season.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matt Martin: Brushes twine Monday
Rotowire
Martin scored a goal on two shots and levied 10 hits in Monday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Capitals.
Martin got a piece of a Cal Clutterbuck shot to tally the Islanders' second goal of the game. In the 18 games between Martin's most recent goals, he produced five assists, 24 PIM and 57 hits. The 33-year-old remains a notable hitter, and while he has 12 points in 44 contests this season, his offense isn't anything special. That point total is his highest since 2018-19, and he's added 153 hits, 35 shots on net, 43 PIM and a plus-4 rating so far in 2022-23.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matt Martin: Offers assist in win
Rotowire
Martin produced an assist, two hits and two PIM in Tuesday's 6-2 win over the Canucks.
Martin had the secondary helper on Aatu Raty's second-period tally. It's been 13 games since Martin's last goal, but he's done alright with four assists, 40 hits and 24 PIM in that span. The 33-year-old winger remains a brute force on the fourth line with 10 points, 27 shots, 126 hits, 43 PIM and a plus-4 rating through 38 contests overall. He's on track for a career year on offense.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matt Martin: Sin bin leader
Rotowire
Martin took 15 minutes worth of penalties in the 5-1 win over the Panthers on Friday.
The first five minutes came late in the first period when he dropped the gloves with Givani Smith of the Panthers. The second penalty was a misconduct when Martin wanted to have a word with Brandon Montour, probably to discuss the kneeing of Simon Holmstrom, which forced him to leave the game. Martin will be back in action Tuesday versus the Penguins.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matt Martin: Picks up helper in win
Rotowire
Martin notched an assist and six hits in Saturday's 5-2 win over the Golden Knights.
Martin had the secondary helper on Hudson Fasching's second-period marker. It's been a solid stretch lately for Martin -- he has a goal and three assists to go with 27 hits over his last seven contests. The hard-hitting winger is up to nine points, 108 hits, 26 PIM, 23 shots on net and a plus-2 rating through 31 outings in his usual fourth-line role.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matt Martin: Gets goal after review
Rotowire
Martin scored a goal on three shots and added five hits in Sunday's 3-0 win over the Blackhawks.
Play went on for nearly two minutes before a stoppage, at which point a review occurred. The result was Martin getting the opening tally midway through the second period, and that goal stood as the game-winner. He snapped a seven-game point drought with the goal. Martin's at six points, 86 hits, 17 shots on net, 19 PIM and an even plus-minus rating through 25 contests as a fixture on the Islanders' fourth line.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matt Martin: Drops the gloves
Rotowire
Martin recorded another fighting major against the Flyers on Tuesday.
The fight was only the second on the season for Martin, who also has two goals, three assists and a minus-1 rating in 23 games this season.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matt Martin: Drops the gloves
Rotowire
Martin had a spirited bout with Zack MacEwen of the Flyers just seven seconds into the game Tuesday.
You knew this was coming if you watched how the game Saturday ended between the Flyers and Islanders. Ross Johnston and Nicolas Deslauriers then dropped the gloves immediately after the next faceoff. That was it for fight night, however, as both teams decided to play hockey for the rest of the game. Martin will look to break a six-game scoreless streak Friday versus the Predators.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matt Martin: Scoreless in eight straight
Rotowire
Martin hasn't registered a point in his last eight games.
On the season, Martin has two goals and two assists in 16 games. Martin is not on the team for his offensive skills. He has only posted a double-digit goal season once in his career, and that was in 2015-16. Martin's job, along with his linemates Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck, is to provide energy for the team via a physical presence.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matt Martin: Engages in 99th fight
Rotowire
Martin was involved in a fighting major and delivered three hits during a 2-0 loss to the Coyotes on Thursday.
Attempting to spark the Islanders' bench, Martin dropped his gloves for the 99th time in his career, according to hockeyfights.com. It was the 33-year-old forward's first fighting major since squaring off against Montreal's Joel Edmundson on April 15. Martin engaged in a second-period tussle, but it did not lead to his centennial fighting major. Down 1-0 early in the third period, Martin hit the post with one of his best scoring chances in 7:46 of ice time.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matt Martin: Expected to return Thursday
Rotowire
Martin (personal) is expected to return to the team before it plays the Blues on Thursday, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports.
Martin missed the 3-1 win over the Blackhawks on Tuesday, as he was with his wife, who was giving birth to the couple's second child. Martin should regain his spot on the energy line and play alongside Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matt Martin: Unavailable Tuesday
Rotowire
Martin (personal) won't be in the lineup Tuesday against Chicago, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports.
Martin and his wife, Sydney, are awaiting the birth of their child. Coach Lane Lambert expects him to join the team on the road at some point this week. Ross Johnston will replace Martin in the lineup.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matt Martin: Seeking more time
Rotowire
Martin scored a goal in limited time during a 6-2 victory over the Hurricanes on Friday.
Martin didn't enjoy an abundance of ice time Friday, but accomplished plenty in 11 minutes, 26 seconds. The 33-year-old left winger notched his second goal and shared a team-high four hits. Martin handed the Islanders a one-goal, second-period lead by capitalizing on Jalen Chatfield's turnover near his own net and Casey Cizikas earning a primary assist. The fourth liner has two goals in five games but has registered just seven shots.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matt Martin: Leaves game briefly
Rotowire
Martin momentarily left Sunday's 3-2 loss to Florida after taking a stick to the face, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports.
Martin was able to return to the eventual 3-2 loss to the Panthers. He didn't register a shot or point and added only one hit. Unlike most of his teammates, Martin has had a solid start to the season with a goal, three points, and a rating of plus-2 in six games. Martin also leads the team in hits with 24. He will next get a chance to add to that total Wednesday, when the Islanders host the Rangers.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matt Martin: Quiet game in victory
Rotowire
Martin was held off the scoreboard as the Islanders defeated the Rangers 3-1 on Saturday.
Martin is not on the team to score goals but rather to provide a physical presence on the ice, specifically on the forecheck. He finished last season with three goals, seven points, and a rating of minus-2 in 71 games. Martin had 235 hits in those games, and there lies his value to the team and fantasy managers. He will again play on the fourth line for the Islanders in 2022-23, along with Cal Clutterbuck (shoulder) and Casey Cizikas.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matt Martin: Lowest point total of career
Rotowire
Martin finished the season with three goals, seven points and a rating of minus-2.
The goal total was tied for the lowest Martin has had in his career in a full season. He also had three for the Maple Leafs in 2017-18. The assist total was tied for the second-lowest of his career, and the points were a career-low. The offseason ankle surgery likely played a part in the slow start, and Martin will hope that a normal offseason, without any rehab, will allow him to get back to playing at a higher level.
