Is Matt Martin the right option for the Toronto Maple Leafs after recent report?

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Julien Trekker
August 10, 2024 (1:36 PM)

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The former member of the Maple Leafs, Matt Martin, was linked to Toronto after a new report confirmed the New York Islanders will move on from the veteran.

In a recent interview, the New York Islanders general manager, Lou Lamoriello, stated that the organization will probably be moving on from the free agent Matt Martin.

"We'll probably be moving on," Lamoriello told The Post. "That isn't saying things can't change. We're talking about two veterans, two quality individuals. Two team leaders and two real good hockey players, so we'll have to see how things come about. But we haven't changed our thought process today any different than the last time we spoke."

Matt Martin, 35, was drafted in 2008 by the Islanders and played on Long Island for his whole career, except for two seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, between 2016 and 2018. In that span, he scored only 17 points but brought a lot more to the team than his offensive contributions. His leadership and physical abilities made him an interesting player to have in the locker room.

In the 2023-24 season, Matt Martin scored eight points in 57 games with the Islanders. He also took part in the games during the playoffs but failed to add his name to the scoresheet.

Now, should the Maple Leafs try to go after him? Probably not.

In addition to their limited cap space, they have many players in the organization that could be better options than Martin in the bottom-six, such as Calle Jarnkrok, David Kampf, or even Fraser Minten or Easton Cowan, who could be ready to jump into the NHL sooner rather than later.

Also, they already have a veteran enforcer in Ryan Reaves. If he can step up his game next season, Brad Treliving should see no reason to go after a player like Matt Martin, especially at this stage of his career.

Source for Matt Martin's statistics: Hockey DB
Matt Martin