Former Maple Leafs Forward Matt Martin Announces Retirement, Joins Islanders' Front Office

Former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matt Martin is calling it a career.

The 36-year-old announced the news on Tuesday afternoon, following his 15th season in the NHL. Martin, however, isn't completely leaving hockey; he'll remain with the New York Islanders as a special assistant to general manager and executive vice president Mathieu Darche.

After being selected in the fifth round (148th overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft by the New York Islanders, Martin began his professional career with the AHL's Bridgeport Sound Tigers in 2009. He made his NHL debut on Feb. 9, 2010, registering two assists in a 4-3 shootout win over the Nashville Predators.

Martin would play six more seasons with the Islanders before signing a four-year, $10 million contract with the Maple Leafs. The forward joined Toronto at a pivotal time, as Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander were each entering their first full NHL season.

The Windsor, Ontario, native was seen as a mentor, helping guide the young players through a likely whirlwind of a year while offering protection. Martin scored five goals, four assists, and racked up 123 penalty minutes in his first season with Toronto.

He scored two assists in six games against the Washington Capitals in the first round of the playoffs that same year. His two tallies came in Game 2, one of which was the secondary assist on former Maple Leaf Kasperi Kapanen's double-overtime goal to tie the series at one.

The Maple Leafs ended up falling to the Capitals in six games.

Martin would play one more season with Toronto, scoring three goals and nine assists in 50 games. After a career-low 7:59 of average ice time throughout that season, the Maple Leafs traded Martin back to the Island on July 3, 2018, in exchange for Eamon McAdam.

The enforcer helped the Islanders get to the second round of the playoffs in his first year back with the Islanders. His NHL career concludes after 987 NHL games, where he put up 81 goals, 97 assists, and 1168 penalty minutes.