Maple Leafs considering PTO's for former Islanders veterans Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck
Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin both played for the NY Islanders last season and remain unsigned. The Toronto Maple Leafs could be considering offering both a PTO.
We are currently in the dog days of summer, and it's just around this time of the off-season where the league finds itself flooded with a bunch of NHL veterans who are still waiting to be signed to a contract. Many of the top young free agents have been signed, leaving older NHL veterans still in search of a home.
Two of those veterans who currently remain unsigned are former NY Islanders players Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck. The Toronto Maple Leafs could potentially be targeting both in the form of offering them a professional tryout (PTO).
Both Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin have played around 1,000 games in the National Hockey League (NHL). One big difference between each player is that Martin has actually already played for the Leafs, as he was with them for a portion of two seasons between 2016 and 2018. He played in 132 games for them, having scored eight goals and 21 points. He had 183 penalty minutes with the team during those two seasons as he plays a very physical game and will also never shy away from a fight. The Leafs could definitely use a player like him again especially in the playoffs.
Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin are very similar in the way they play the game. One needs to only take a look at their stats. Martin has collected a total of 176 points in his 955 career NHL games, whereas Clutterbuck recorded 293 points in 1,064 games. Both players have also taken a ton of penalty minutes in their career, proving that they are extremely physical and aren't afraid to engage in fights. Martin is 35 and Clutterbuck is 36, so they likely won't be putting up a ton of points anymore, but they will be there to add a spark to the team and protect the younger guys such as Matthew Knies as well.
Matt Martin should be the first choice because of his bond with Mitch Marner
Should the Leafs have to make a choice and only choose one of the two veteran players, Matt Martin should be their go-to guy right off the bat, due to the friendship and bond he's built with Mitch Marner in the past.
The story between how their bond formed is an interesting one. Matt Martin was working out in the Maple Leafs practice facility gym prior to the start of his season with the Leafs, when Mitch Marner, who was a rookie at the time and only 19, walked into the gym. Supposedly, Martin stayed quiet and did not introduce himself.
From that moment, they became the best of friends. Ahead of games, Matt Martin would stand near the entrance of the team's dressing room and would fist-bump his teammates as they make their way onto the ice. When it was Mitch Marner's turn to exit, Martin would chest-bump him instead, and then on the ice they would both body check each other. One very famous viral moment is when Marner and Martin were caught on the bench sniffing salt together, as both players made funny faces doing it.
Both Mitch Marner and Matt Martin have also worn matching Halloween costumes to team parties in the past as well. They've also been to the movies together and have been to restaurants and to watch sporting events. They truly have become the best of friends. For this reason, there's no doubt Martin would be the ideal choice to bring back to the Leafs. Marner has said he looks up to Martin as a big brother, so there would already be so much chemistry built there.
The Maple Leafs have nothing to lose to offer both these players a PTO. It costs them absolutely nothing, and there are no guarantees for anyone. It's just an opportunity for the player to come into training camp and prove their worth. If the team likes what they see, they can then offer one or both of them a contract. It's a win-win situation for everyone.
Source: HockeyDB
Matt Martin Stats
Source: Hockey-Reference
Cal Clutterbuck Stats
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Should the Leafs offer these two former Islanders veterans a PTO? | ||
| Yes | 225 | 68 % |
| No | 106 | 32 % |
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