When Matt Martin thinks about playing 700 games in the NHL, a milestone the Islanders' left wing reached on Saturday night at Philadelphia, it’s the league’s evolution since his debut in 2010 that stands out.
"The game’s changed a lot since I first came in the league," Martin said. "When I first came here, it was all about getting bigger, bigger, bigger. For the last three or four years, it’s kind of been a little back the other way. We’re trying to get skinnier and lighter. The rules have changed. And you’ve got to continue to evolve if you want to stay in this league.