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Matt Martin goes from daughter's birth to Islanders' qualifying berth

Either way, Matt Martin felt he would be leaving family behind.

Still, the longtime Islander said on Friday he did not consider opting out of the NHL’s return-to-play plan as his wife, Sydney, gave birth to the couple’s first child, Windsor Grace, on Tuesday. Players had until 5 p.m. on Monday – the first day of formal training camps – to opt out without penalty.

“Honestly, not at all,” Martin said. “First and foremost, Sydney is totally on board for me to play. I want to play. Both of our families want me to play. We sign contracts.