When Matt Martin and his wife had their first daughter, Windsor, he only got five days to spend with her before shipping off to the NHL bubble for 2 1/2 months. Instead of getting to experience life with a newborn, he settled for FaceTiming four or five times a day with wife Sydney Esiason as the Islanders went on a run to the Eastern Conference Final during the summer and fall of 2020.
So, this time around, when Martin had to leave for St. Louis after their second daughter, Alice, was born last Tuesday, it wasn’t so bad. Martin missed the Islanders’ win against the Blackhawks to be there for Alice’s birth and was back with his family on Saturday night after the team’s road trip finished with a 3-0 loss to the Red Wings earlier in the day.
“It’s pretty, obviously, amazing to be there for it and welcome Alice to the world and enjoy that moment with Sydney,” Martin told The Post on Monday morning. “She was tested and cleared, and Sydney was tested and cleared, everybody healthy, able to go home and fly to St. Louis and get ready for the game the next day.
“[Sunday’ was the first full day to be able to be a full family. Winnie, Alice, Sydney, and it’s man-on-man coverage now. I spent most of the day with Winnie, Sydney spent most of the day with Alice.”
Needing to balance family with his career is nothing new for Martin, who is in his 14th year in the NHL and has been married to Sydney since 2019. Everyone involved understands what this will entail, and the current situation is much more ideal for Martin than it was two years ago.
That said, dealing with two young children will be a challenge unto itself.
“We thought Winnie was hard, but we could at least share the responsibilities,” Martin said. “Now, you have eyes on two of them. But it’s part of life. It’s an amazing thing. It’s a blessing. I’m enjoying it.”
At just over 2 years old, Martin said that Winnie can recognize the Islanders logo and has some understanding of what her father does for a living. When she sees it flash up on TV, she says “Dada” or “Daddy.”
“When she comes to warm-ups, she loves standing at the glass,” Martin said. “I don’t know if she really understands that it’s me when I come up to her, but she really enjoys watching the guys skate around, and she likes to eat the french fries and everything in the family room. I think she comprehends what’s going on.”
Though Martin had yet to score a “Dad goal” heading into Monday night’s game against Calgary, he had already nearly surpassed his scoring total from last season, with two goals in 11 games. Last year, when the Islanders played a more conservative style under Barry Trotz, Martin scored three times in 71 games. He’s reached double digits just once in his career, when he scored 10 times with the Isles in 2015-16, but he’s on pace to threaten that career-high.
All of that, though, isn’t at the top of his mind right now.
He’s focused on the team, yes, but this is also a time to enjoy being with family.
“I love to spend time with the kids. It’s just nice to be able to especially get away from the game at times,” Martin said. “You go home and focus on your family and not think about hockey 24/7 like I probably did when I was younger, without responsibilities.
“I think that keeps your mind fresh as well. Keeps things in perspective.”