Matt Martin is likely finishing his career as a New York Islander.
Per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and The Athletic’s Arthur Staple, the 31-year-old winger’s new deal is believed to be for four years with an average annual salary around the $1.5 million mark, which puts his aggregate salary around $6 million.
Islanders president and general manager, Lou Lamoriello, initially announced on Dec. 31 that Martin — an unrestricted free agent at the time — along with veteran defenseman Andy Greene and goalie Cory Schneider agreed to deals.
Their largest free agent, Mathew Barzal, has yet to come to terms on a deal with the Islanders. The restricted free agent was not on the ice in each of the team’s first two days of on-ice work at training camp.
As for Martin, he’ll stay right in place as one-third of the “best fourth line in hockey” alongside Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck — a trio head coach Barry Trotz often refers to as the Islanders’ “identity line.”
Martin has become a fan favorite for his tenacity and gritty style of play over the years. This upcoming season will be his 10th with the Islanders, which has been split up into two stints after he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2016. He was traded back to New York just two years later.
“He’s a great friend and I was really happy to see that they locked him down for 4 years,” Islanders forward Jordan Eberle said. “He’s a guy for our team who doesn’t get as much notoriety as other guys do, but he brings every night the energy, the passion.”
While he’s only accrued 110 career points in his Islanders career, he’s one of only 30 players in franchise history to skate in at least 500 games.
