Here's a question to all of the fans who say they wouldn't give up Martin for anything:
With the Isles unwilling or unable to sign any free agents of consequence, if you flatly refuse to deal even a bottom 6 winger like Martin, how are you expecting the team to get better?
He may currently be a bottom six winger, but he is progressing towards top 6. Hard to imagine, but think about what this kid has done all his life. They say, "You will never be more than _____," and he goes and prove them wrong.
All I can say is this:
TO or anyone else can get Martin when they pry him from our cold dead hands.
There's a poster here named "ScaredStreit" who believes Matt Martin is a scrub. Allow me to retort.
First, here are some examples of scrubs: Jon Sim, Michael Haley, Brian Rolston, Marty Reasoner.
They do not engage their opponents or if they do they get penalized, they turn over the puck, they go through the motions. They contribute little to the team effort and rarely are they on the "right" side of the puck.
Matt Martin: Always finishes his checks (leads the NHL in hits and none have been deemed "dirty"). His skating is much improved and he closes the gap quickly, making him a beast forechecker. He never takes a shift off. He sacrifices his body and plays the PK extremely well. He fights other players that are much older, wiser, and bigger than him. His passing skills are coming along (see TB game, he made several nice passes), and he has some considerable mustard behind that wrist shot. He's 5th on the team in SOG. He is not, and never will be, a Tavares style player. But great teams need strong 3rd and 4th lines, and Tavares style players don't make for strong 3rd and 4th lines. Matt Martin style players make for great 3rd/4th lines, yet the success/failure of those lines is not all his credit or fault either. It takes more than 1 skater to make or break a line, but Martin does all he can every night to be on the "right" side of the puck, and 95%+ of the time he is. (I think he's had 3 giveaways all season)
Matt Martin is an All (North) American type of hockey player. He is an accountable hockey player who knows what his role is and doesn't try to play outside of that. That, combined with his heart, makes him a very valuable player. Scrubs don't bring value, Matt Martin does. By the 3rd period of every game the opponent's defense hears "footsteps" as MM bares down on them. He forces turnovers with his physical play and creates scoring opportunities. He does all the little things right and takes nothing for granted.
On the other hand, Mr. Streit is not "Captain" material, imo. Yes, he can put up some impressive offensive numbers, especially on the PP, and he may be an All-Star again some day (I hope). But that does not automatically make you "Captain" material. There have been some great leaders and Captains in the NHL who did not lead their team in scoring. Streit is not skating confidently with the puck right now. His offensive zone entries on the PP leave much to be desired. His decision making is not that impressive so far this year. Yes he has points, as he's a talented player, but Captains do more than shoot/pass the puck from the point.
His size does not allow him to play a physical game, though he makes up for it most of the time via his hockey smarts. However, this is the NHL, not some European hockey league. North American hockey requires a physical aspect to the game. Just look at the success of teams like Boston and Philly. You can't put a total skill team on the ice in the NHL and expect to win the Stanley Cup. That might work in Europe but it doesn't work here.
IMO, MATT MARTIN has more "Captain" like qualities than Mark Streit. He's a real leader. A passionate leader who has kept improving his game since he was 15 years old. Every team in the NHL wants at least one guy like this on their team.
This is NOT the resume of a scrub!
EDIT: Just for reference...
Matt Martin: 3 goals, -4 +/-, 1 GWG, 52 shots, 5.8 S%
Mark Streit: 2 goals, -6 +/-, 0 GWG, 44 shots, 4.5 S%
Who's the scrub? One of them is our Captain that plays every PP, the other is a 4th liner. Have a nice day.
Last edited by NineHoleGoal: 12-07-2011 at 10:40 AM.
There's a poster here named "ScaredStreit" who believes Matt Martin is a scrub. Allow me to retort.
First, here are some examples of scrubs: Jon Sim, Michael Haley, Brian Rolston, Marty Reasoner.
They do not engage their opponents or if they do they get penalized, they turn over the puck, they go through the motions. They contribute little to the team effort and rarely are they on the "right" side of the puck.
Matt Martin: Always finishes his checks (leads the NHL in hits and none have been deemed "dirty"). His skating is much improved and he closes the gap quickly, making him a beast forechecker. He never takes a shift off. He sacrifices his body and plays the PK extremely well. He fights other players that are much older, wiser, and bigger than him. His passing skills are coming along (see TB game, he made several nice passes), and he has some considerable mustard behind that wrist shot. He's 5th on the team in SOG. He is not, and never will be, a Tavares style player. But great teams need strong 3rd and 4th lines, and Tavares style players don't make for strong 3rd and 4th lines. Matt Martin style players make for great 3rd/4th lines, yet the success/failure of those lines is not all his credit or fault either. It takes more than 1 skater to make or break a line, but Martin does all he can every night to be on the "right" side of the puck, and 95%+ of the time he is. (I think he's had 3 giveaways all season)
Matt Martin is an All (North) American type of hockey player. He is an accountable hockey player who knows what his role is and doesn't try to play outside of that. That, combined with his heart, makes him a very valuable player. Scrubs don't bring value, Matt Martin does. By the 3rd period of every game the opponent's defense hears "footsteps" as MM bares down on them. He forces turnovers with his physical play and creates scoring opportunities. He does all the little things right and takes nothing for granted.
On the other hand, Mr. Streit is not "Captain" material, imo. Yes, he can put up some impressive offensive numbers, especially on the PP, and he may be an All-Star again some day (I hope). But that does not automatically make you "Captain" material. There have been some great leaders and Captains in the NHL who did not lead their team in scoring. Streit is not skating confidently with the puck right now. His offensive zone entries on the PP leave much to be desired. His decision making is not that impressive so far this year. Yes he has points, as he's a talented player, but Captains do more than shoot/pass the puck from the point.
His size does not allow him to play a physical game, though he makes up for it most of the time via his hockey smarts. However, this is the NHL, not some European hockey league. North American hockey requires a physical aspect to the game. Just look at the success of teams like Boston and Philly. You can't put a total skill team on the ice in the NHL and expect to win the Stanley Cup. That might work in Europe but it doesn't work here.
IMO, MATT MARTIN has more "Captain" like qualities than Mark Streit. He's a real leader. A passionate leader who has kept improving his game since he was 15 years old. Every team in the NHL wants at least one guy like this on their team.
This is NOT the resume of a scrub!
EDIT: Just for reference...
Matt Martin: 3 goals, -4 +/-, 1 GWG, 52 shots, 5.8 S%
Mark Streit: 2 goals, -6 +/-, 0 GWG, 44 shots, 4.5 S%
Who's the scrub? One of them is our Captain that plays every PP, the other is a 4th liner. Have a nice day.
Matt is that you?
Seriously, you rip on me for calling a scrub-then you take your tangent into a bashing Streit-fest? Streit is MUCH more important to the team. And more so your proof is OFFENSIVE statistics?
-You seriously aren't trying to compare offensive stats between a forward and a defensemen? And I'm the confused one? I mean give me a break here. But I'll bite:
-Streit also has more points than MM, how curious you leave that out. Just saying.
-Martin has more goals and a better S% than Keith and Doughty...are they scrubs? You're going to tell me you'd rather have MM on the team over them?
I'm sorry but if you're going to go out of your way to call me out-make it a better argument than this. By the logic of your argument: Lidstrom only had 16 goals last year, and a 9.1 S%-what a scrub! I mean Comeau had 24 goals, and a 13.6 S%-so obviously Comeau was better!
edit: And for the record, Streit has more than twice the amount of points that Martin has...actually he already has more points that Martin had all year last season.
