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Matt Martin has spent much of this season as a de facto practice player for the Islanders, getting into a handful of games and otherwise contributing by setting an example and working hard in practices.
That was the deal when the Islanders elevated Martin off a PTO in November.
He knew it; the Islanders knew it.
There are no hard feelings about it.
Outside of stating the obvious when asked, that, yes, he would like to play, Martin has kept his head down despite sitting since Jan. 16.
The veteran was finally rewarded Friday, getting back into the lineup for a 3-1 win over the Wild with the Islanders down Anthony Duclair, who is taking a personal absence from the team after coach Patrick Roy ripped into his play following Tuesday’s loss to the Lightning.
“I think the challenge is the pace, the timing of making plays. Same challenge you have any other time you’re out for a duration,” Martin told The Post pregame. “For me, you just got to keep it simple. Make wall plays, get pucks in, get pucks out, try and build some confidence and some timing from there. Try not to force anything really early. Just get your feet under you, get your timing back and go from there.”
Martin staying in the lineup is likely contingent on Duclair’s status, but it appears possible the Islanders won’t see Duclair again this season.
So these last eight games could be a swan song of sorts for the 35-year-old Martin, who has yet to address his future.
“I was happy for him,” Roy said after the game, in which Martin played 7:49 on the fourth line with Kyle MacLean and Marc Gatcomb. “Seeing someone working so hard in the practice, yeah he probably felt rusty a bit at times, at the beginning. I thought he did a really nice job and we rolled the four lines.”
Scott Mayfield came back into the lineup after being a healthy scratch for six straight games, replacing Adam Boqvist on the third pair.
“I thought he was really good,” Roy said after Mayfield skated 14:51. “Moving his feet, he was making good decisions with the puck.”
Roy said the Islanders are not considering calling up a forward from AHL Bridgeport despite having just 12 available to play on the roster with Duclair taking a personal absence.
