A Night Honoring Matt Martin

The Islanders and the fans did right by Martin for what was likely to be his last home game with the team.

ELMONT, NY — After an emotional morning skate, we knew that Tuesday night at UBS Arena was going to be a special one for Matt Martin.

While it’s not official that Martin will be hanging up the skates come season’s end, the Islanders did right by him.

In front of his family, he showed appreciation for the fan base for their 14 years of unwavering support. On the flip side, fans got the chance to voice their appreciation for Martin’s hard work, dedication, and leadership.

Martin hit the ice for warmups, donning Kyle Palmieri’s “A”, an honor he had never had in the regular season:

He shared a special moment with his daughter Winnie, too:

“It was a tough one for sure,” Martin said on seeing his older daughter Winnie during warmups. “She loves the glass. Now she's just starting to figure it out as well. I think she'll love it more. They don't know it was potentially the last one, but the whole day was pretty tough. A lot of emotions. I just didn't know when it would hit, didn't know if it would hit.”

After getting loud cheers during warmups, Martin lined up for the opening face-off alongside former teammate Anthony Beauvillier:

“He asked me if I wanted to go,” Martin said. “He’s a scrappy little guy. You gotta be careful with him.”

In the third period, the Islanders gave Martin more attention when they announced to the crowd that he was their King Clancy Memorial Trophy:

Following the game, the Capitals lined up to shake Matt Martin’s hand before Martin embraced his team at center ice:

“These guys mean so much to me,” Martin said. “Being out there with so many guys in here that started in this league together…we’ve been through a lot together. Watching all the married families grow up, it’s a special team, a special group. Obviously, we’re missing a bunch of guys as well, Bails, Clutter, who are already retired. They’re with me. [I asked for a hug because] I was standing on the ice by myself long enough. It’s good to have my friends with me.”

Here’s what his head coach, Patrick Roy, had to say:

“I'm sure it meant a lot to him. I don't know if it was his last game or not, but I mean, the way the fans reacted and the way they cheered for him, it was so nice of them to do that. I know he played hard for this organization, and he deserves every minute of that, but it's nice to see the fans acknowledge that and show it to him and the love and everything. I have only positive things to say about him. I mean, I've been here for a year and a half now, and he's been like a classy person and a great teammate and a person that, like I said this morning, is very passionate about the game. So it was a privilege to coach a guy like this, and I'm thankful for his patience. And I know it was not an easy year for him. And there were moments I wish I could put him in on the ice, but he understood what was going on, and I thank him for that.”

Martin was never a goal scorer, but his heart and soul made him a fan favorite from the very beginning. Even when times were tough, Martin put his head down and went to work. He is what it means to be a New York Islander.

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SIGN YOUR CHILD UP FOR THE MATT MARTIN HOCKEY ACADEMY CAMP:

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Complimentary Parking!

Once again for the 2024-25 season, those who drive a BMW can receive complimentary single-game parking in the Emerald Parking lot.

Please click the BMW | Islanders image below for parking registration information.

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