Mitch Marner pens a special message as ex-Leaf Matt Martin announces his retirement from NHL

Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner shared a special message for former teammate Matt Martin following his retirement announcement from the NHL.

On Tuesday, Martin hung up his skates after 16 seasons in the league. Drafted 148th overall by the New York Islanders in the 2008 NHL Draft, Martin spent 14 seasons with the Islanders and two seasons with the Maple Leafs.

Mitch Marner posted a special message for Martin on his Instagram story:

"One of one [heart emoji] congrats bro!!," Marner wrote.

Following Matt Martin’s retirement from the NHL, his wife, Sydney Esiason, announced her retirement from life as a hockey WAG (wives and girlfriends).

"Official retirement from the WAG life awesome, fun, exhausting, emotional, weird at times and a thankless job so be nice to the next gen," she posted on X while replying to a fan's comment.

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Matt Martin will now serve as a special assistant to New York Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche. Martin recorded 178 points through 81 goals and 97 assists in 987 career NHL games.

Blue Jackets not on Mitch Marner's preferred list

NHL insider Pierre LeBrun reported that the Columbus Blue Jackets would eagerly pursue Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner if he enters free agency, as he is considered a top target with no interest in a short-term deal.

Meanwhile, Elliotte Friedman believes Marner is unlikely to re-sign with the Maple Leafs. While many teams would vie for Marner, LeBrun noted that, as of now, Columbus is not among the preferred destinations for Marner’s camp, though this could change.

"They would absolutely enter the Mitch Marner sweepstakes if invited to do so. But unless something changes, I don’t think the Marner camp has Columbus on its list of preferred destinations. At least not so far."

According to reports, Mitch Marner is projected to sign a long-term deal (7-8 years) to range between $12 million and $14 million. Marner was drafted with the 4th overall pick by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2015 NHL draft. The 28-year-old has been with them for nine seasons.

Also Read: NHL Rumors: Golden Knights heat up Mitch Marner pursuit as they look to open up cap space by trading $65,100,000 star

About the author

Abhishek is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda with over 2 years of sports reporting experience and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delhi. He became a fan of ice hockey after watching NHL fight videos on YouTube, which led to him professionally writing about the sport and his continued interest in all things hockey.

A fan of the Boston Bruins, Abhishek considers their incredible comeback win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 playoffs as the most iconic moment in the NHL. His admiration for the six-time Stanley Cup winners also comes from the team’s storied history, distinctive black and gold uniform and their success in the sport. His all-time favorite NHL players are Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, for their ability to perform at the highest level consistently.

Abhishek ensures his reporting is fair and balanced by being well-researched in his details, which he expects to be relevant, up-to-date and in line with ethical standards. His specialties are doing detailed match analysis and covering fan reactions.

Abhishek enjoys music, traveling and going on walks with his three German Shepherds in his free time, along with learning about horticulture.

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Edited by Abhishek Dilta