By Basil Stroh

New York Islanders forward Matt Martin announced his retirement from the National Hockey League today after 15 NHL seasons. With his announcement, Islanders General Manager and Executive Vice President Mathieu Darche has named Martin a Special Assistant to the General Manager.

Martin, 36, played 987 games over 15 NHL seasons, including 855 games in 13 seasons with the Islanders. He scored 178 regular-season points (81 goals, 97 assists) with the Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs, while adding 13 points (eight goals, five assists) in 88 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

The Islanders selected Martin in the fifth round (148th overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft. His 995 career penalty minutes as an Islander are the sixth-most in franchise history, while his 855 regular-season games with the club are eighth-most in club history. Martin’s 82 playoff games as an Islander rank 15th on the franchise leaderboard and his 141 playoff penalty minutes are the eighth-most in Islanders history.

Martin played his first professional season with the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport in 2009-10, before breaking through to the NHL with a 68-game rookie season in 2010-11. The Windsor, Ontario native played three seasons with the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League, totaling 109 points (46 goals, 63 assists) in 166 games.

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