Islanders Summer Report Card: Matt Martin

Apr 9, 2013; Uniondale, NY, USA; New York Islanders right wing

(13) and New York Islanders center

(53) and New York Islanders left wing

(17) celebrate Cizikas

NASSAU VETERANS MEMORIAL COLISEUM OF LEARNING

Student Data

• Name: Matt Martin
• Evaluation Year: 2013
• Age: 24
• Undergraduate :2008
• Days Absent: 0
• Scholarship: 4 years/$4,000,000 (expires after 2015-16)
• Achievements: 48 GP, 4 G, 7 A, 11 PTS, -2 +/-, 63 PIM

Class List and Grade History

• Skating: B
• Shooting: C
• Passing: B-
• Defense: D+
• Leadership: A+

Professors Comments:

If you’re looking for impressive offensive numbers from this left winger, then you’re going to be disappointed as the aforementioned isn’t part of Matt Martin’s game philosophy.

This three year pro offenseman is most famous for hitting everything in sight, but doing it with equal parts intelligence and ferocity.  Don’t get me wrong Martin has had his fair share of fights this year, ringing the bell seven times, but he isn’t your typical “goon” as the old timers would say.

Martin, unlike the typical bruiser, or “goon,” has some skill in his repertoire.  He can skate some and does have some noticeable offensive talent, even if his paltry stats don’t show it.

But let’s not try and categorize him as an “offensive” player, because his best attributes come from his time on the checking line.

Once again for the second year, Martin has led the league in hits with 234 and he shows no signs of letting up.

Not to be outdone by anyone else on the team in the ‘brawn’ and ‘might’ category, Martin also led the Isles in penalty minutes (63) and major penalties (7).  For me, the best part of Matt’s game is his ‘Matt Cooke type’ style, but devoid of random and deliberate malice, and rather punctuated by concision and conscientiousness.

Yes, Matty knows how to mix it up, with a profound understanding of when to back off and is poised enough to accomplish that which is needed by the coaching staff.

But most importantly, Matt Martin’s physical play opened the necessary space  for linemate Casey Cizikas to roam free and have an outstanding freshman season (6 G, 13 A, 19 PTS). Moreover,  playing along Casey helped Martin collect 11 points in 48 games, which was an improvement on his 2011-12 numbers(14 PTS in 80 GP).

Overall, what is there not to like about Matty Marts!

Professor Recommendation:

All the above-mentioned laud notwithstanding, Matt’s defensive abilities need an overhaul.

Although Martin finished the season with a -2 +/- rating, the rating number is kind of deceiving.  If you dive into the stats, and let me tell you guys/gals,  there are a ton of stats, then you can see where his defensive game needs help.

Take a look at his On-Ice CORSI stats, for there lieth the tale.  (For those of you wondering, what the heck is a CORSI stat, to put it simply: data collected that rates a given player’s offensive and defensive success, right down to how that individual player fared against equal or lesser competition.)

In Matt’s case,  he had one of the lowest ratings against lesser opponents, which to me shows needs to step up his game in order to be able to match up against the best the Isles will face in the 2013-14 season.

To Martin’s credit, he stepped up his play during the playoffs, finishing with a 0 +/-, elevating his play to match the effectiveness against a really good Pens team.  And lest we forget,  Martin was presented with the Bob Nystrom award, which is given out annually to the Isles player that exemplifies leadership, hustle, and dedication.

The guys in the locker room think very highly of Matt and appreciate his dedication and hard work, which is something of a  priceless commodity these days, details that never show up on a stat sheet.

With this in mind, I feel Matt will step up his off season training and be poised and ready to launch a solid, effective campaign in the fall. Well that, and they don’t mind he’s dating Boomer’s daughter Sydney, but that’s for another story, on another day, sometime down the line. Ha!

Would you like to see Matty Marts continue pummeling the opposition on a regular basis in an Isles Jersey?

-MR