“I’m not brave anymore, darling. I’m all broken. They’ve broken me.”*
It’s tax day in the U.S. and the home finale for the Islanders. It also could and should be a chance for Islanders fans to give Matt Martin an appreciative sendoff for time served and punches endured in the name of the fabled and maddening New York Islanders.
The 5th round (148th overall) pick in that pivotal 2008 Islanders draft has logged 985 NHL regular season games (853 with the Isles) — and a whole season’s-plus worth (88) of playoff games (82 with the Isles) on top of that. If playoff games were included in “career NHL games” accounting, you could even say he well surpassed the 1,000 “NHL games” milestone. Alas, when it comes to milestones and accumulation, playoffs are considered cheating. Sorry!
Martin has scored at least once in every NHL season except this one and his initial 5-game callup in 2009-10. There’s almost no reason to watch tonight, as the Capitals even took care of the predestined Ovechkin milestone during their last visit; but it would be cool to see Martin get on the board and have the crowd erupt one last time.
This is all, of course, assuming he’s retiring and not brought back for another contract…right?
*Aside: “A Farewell to Arms” is chock-FULL of quotes that could aptly describe this Islanders season. Too many to choose from, really.
First Islanders Goal picks go here.
Islanders News
- Martin deserves a big hurrah from fans tonight. [Newsday]
- The last-place Bridgeport Islanders just finished with the worst home record in AHL history, and a minus-70 goal differential. Someone give their GM a promotion! [THN]
- Prospect Report: Cole Eiserman’s freshman season ends as the Frozen Four runner-up, while several others are in the juniors playoffs, including Xavier Veilleux in the USHL. [Isles]
- “This team, it needed to be put to bed.” Islanders Anxiety podcast, dead rubber episode: Relief to be done with this season’s particularly dull dose of anxiety, and bewilderment that there were zero consequences for the embarrassment against the Rangers. [LHH]
- Paul Cotter was suspended two games for his headshot on Adam Pelech. At least he didn’t mean it! [NHL]
- Sad, though sadly not really surprising: The family of Chris Simon and a neuropathologist report he had severe CTE when he died by suicide. The good ol’ hockey game, right? [Athletic]
Elsewhere
Monday’s NHL scores include the Canadiens gaining a standings point but losing in a shootout to sad Chicago, so their playoff spot is still not guaranteed. #GoColumbus. The Red Wings and Smurfs each won to push the Isles down to 23rd overall, which is now as low as the Isles can finish.
- The Kings clinched home ice advantage against the Oilers by dumping the Oilers, 5-0. Another compelling first-round matchup, that. [Sportsnet]
- In that one, Darnell Nurse was given five and a game for crosschecking Quinton Byfield, prompting Corey Perry to utter a classic “Who, me?” quote: “We’re not out there to hurt anybody.” {John Candy face: “Sure, sure…”} [Sportsnet]
- Dan and Mike talked about this on the podcast, but Carp lad Calvin de Haan has been forthrightly frustrated with his handling by the Rangers, who are a delightful mess. I for one feel like a lot of people are not respecting the transferability of skills from 1989 Little League World Series star to NHL GM. [Sportsnet]
- Last summer’s 5th overall pick Ivan Demidov was excited for his Canadiens debut. [NHL] …and he promptly scored and recorded an assist in the opening period. [Sportsnet | NHL]
- Mattias Ekholm will at least miss the first round for the Oilers. [NHL]
- The Sharks will hold a press conference today announcing Logan Couture’s retirement. [TSN]
- What’s next for the terrible Rangers and Canucks, who are terrible and unlikeable? [Sportsnet]