New York Islanders Should Trade For Matt Martin

The New York Islanders have a need for bottom six help and Matt Martin, old friend, would be a fantastic fit for this team.

The New York Islanders having the best fourth line in hockey feels like eons ago. Ever since the departure of Matt Martin, the line has struggled to have the same physical identity it once had. Plus, the Islanders bottom six depth this year has been poor and underwhelming.

If you subscribe to the Athletic you might’ve seen this article by Jonas Siegel. He talks about the Toronto Maple Leafs going towards the speed game and no longer having a need for Martin.

Matt Martin has been a healthy scratch three times this year and the Leafs might be willing to move him in order to get some assets in return that can help them either now or in the future.

This is where Garth Snow should come in and try to make an improvement.

How much could it possibly cost to get Matt Martin? Would you give up a third rounder in 2018 to help bolster up the fourth line? I think I would, we know what Matt Martin is and you know he has fantastic chemistry with Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck.

In addition to trading for Martin, the Islanders should waive Jason Chimera in order to make room for him.

Last year Jason Chimera provided the Islanders some nice depth scoring on a cheap deal. He had 20 goals and a 33 point season for just over $2 million against the cap. They got pretty solid value out of him.

This year has been another story. He’s played in all 51 games and has just 10 points (2 goals, 8 assists). It appears father time has caught up to Chimera.

Martin only has one more point this year, but he’s played in just 47 games and is averaging nearly four minutes less ice time a night.

One thing Martin brings to the table is the physical presence and someone who would stand up for a teammate, something the Islanders lack. He’s had 300 or more hits a year over the last four years and already has 135 hits so far this season.

So Martin brings a physical presence and identity (something the Islanders don’t have), chemistry (something the Islanders’ bottom six lacks) and a good leadership role.

Martin loved it here on Long Island and I think the team and certainly the fans would welcome him back with open arms. If it means getting Jason Chimera off the ice I’ll personally drive up to Toronto to get him.

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Does this make the Islanders a contender? Of course not, they still need a lot more help but this is a step in the right direction of fixing the problem. If Toronto won’t use him they’re going to want to trade him, he’s got two more years on his deal remember. This should be a no-brainer for Garth Snow, keyword being should.