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.