Matt Martin has announced his retirement after a career spanning 16 seasons in the NHL. He spent all but two of those seasons with the New York Islanders. His departure significantly reduces the number of players in the league who choose to play without a protective visor.
Prior to his retirement, Martin was among just five remaining players who did not wear a visor on their helmets. With his transition to a new role as special assistant to Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche, the exclusive group of active visor-less players now includes only Ryan O’Reilly, Jamie Benn, Zach Bogosian, and Ryan Reaves.
The National Hockey League and the NHL Players` Association jointly agreed in 2013 to implement a mandate requiring visors for all new players entering the league. This rule included a grandfather clause, similar to the policy introduced for helmets decades earlier, allowing existing players to continue competing without a visor if they preferred.
In November 2023, when asked about the possibility of putting a visor back on, Martin commented that it would require a major adjustment. This was particularly true given that a significant part of his role on the ice involved fighting. He concluded his playing career on April 17th, having participated in 1,075 regular-season and playoff games, all without wearing a visor.
Martin previously told The Associated Press that he would have complied and worn a visor if the league had mandated it for everyone when he initially decided not to use one. He explained his decision was based on the physical role he played, noting that at the time, many players in similar roles also went without visors. He became comfortable with this and saw no reason to change.
Historically, Craig MacTavish, who played until 1997, was the last player in the NHL to compete without wearing a helmet. Martin speculated that Jamie Benn and Ryan O`Reilly are the most likely players to eventually become the final active NHLers without a visor.
Tristan Blackwood