Matt Martin (b. 1989)

For the player of the same name who also played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, please see Matt Martin (b. 1971).

Matthew Martin (born May 8, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger who currently plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Martin previously played with the New York Islanders and is known for his strong checking abilities, having led the league in hits delivered in every season since 2011; the only year Martin did not finish first was his rookie season of 2010-11, where he finished fourth league wide in recorded hits. Martin also holds the NHL record for most hits in a season.

Amateur
Martin tried out for his local AAA team, the Windsor Junior Spitfires, but was cut. In 2006, he tried out with the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League as a walk-on, and made the team, playing on a line with Steven Stamkos.

Professional
Martin was drafted in the fifth round, 148th overall by the New York Islanders in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. Martin was signed by the Islanders to a three-year entry-level contract on September 4, 2009. Martin scored his first NHL goal on October 29, 2010 against Alex Auld of the Montreal Canadiens.

On September 15, 2012, he agreed to a four-year contract with the Islanders.

During the 2014–15 NHL season, Martin set the NHL record for most hits in a single season, recording 382 checks.

The following season, during the 2015–16 campaign, Martin's line, consisting of himself, Casey Cizikas, and Cal Clutterbuck was considered to be the best 4th line in the NHL by hockey analysts.

On July 1, 2016, as an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career, Martin and the Toronto Maple Leafs agreed to a four-year, $10 million contract, worth an average of $2.5 million a season. Interestingly, Martin is the second "Matt Martin" to have played for the Maple Leafs, behind the 1971 born Matt Martin.