I did not enjoy how close they came in last year’s playoffs vs. the Penguins.  But I do enjoy anyone taking on the the Rangers because, well, I hate those guys.  Before this season has even started, the Islanders have stepped onto another battlefield usually dominated by the NYR: the fashion pages.

(Yes, that’s Tyra in a Rangers jersey brushing Lindsay Lohan’s hair.  Not fake.)

Former Foxy Friday Matt Martin is featured in the new Athlete’s Quarterly.

Here’s the feature – Athletes Quarterly – which contains what may be the best typo that ever existed solely to make my point for me:

“Martin, a 24-year-old left wing brings to the team a hybrid skill set that seems to be coming into Vogue in the NHL.”

Because Vogue should always be capitalized.

We typically prefer our fights full of blood, sweat and hockey tears, but it’s a win/win if these teams want to duke it out on the runway too.

Matt also attended the VMAs last month, held at the Barclay Center-slash-Isles’ future home.  We could get used to this.

Side note: there is no problem that can’t be cured with 10 minutes of Tyra Banks gifs.  Go on, try it.

Foxy Friday: Matt Martin

When considering this Foxy Friday, I had the following conversation with myself.  I’ll let you guess if it was out loud.

Me: “Ooh, he’s cute.”

Other Me: “That’s Matt Martin.”

Me: “You mean Matt Damon?”

Other me: “No, but close.”

Me: “Right, cause I’m pretty sure that’s the guy from Fun.”

Other Me: “No, but close again.”

Matt is a winger for the Islanders, and if you haven’t watched any NYI games this season then at least you’re watching the playoffs.  Right?  It’s not like the Islanders make it every year, so they need you to focus.

Happy early birthday, Matt!

Matt has been with the Isles since 2009 and, like many of his teammates, this is his first trip to the post-season.

He doesn’t score a lot of points (career high: 14 in 80 G), but his role lies elsewhere for the Isles.  He has 37 fights in parts of 4 regular NHL seasons.  According to HockeyFights.com, he scored 3 wins and 3 draws (1 loss) in bouts this year.  One of those wins was in April, where he knocked a guy out.

Obviously not his intention, you can see at the :51 mark that Matt immediately waved for a Devils trainer when he realized what happened.

Like someone immediately waved for a pair of scissors when they saw this hair:

Still makes an excellent pirate Halloween costume.

Matt holds the NHL record for hits in a single season, recording 374 in ’11-’12… after which the Islanders signed him to a 4-year contract.  He led the League in hits again this season with 234 in 48 games.

Matt’s off-ice work included the Defending the Blue Line program, a charity that brings local military personnel and their families to hockey games.

In 2012, Matt won the Islanders’ Bob Nystrom Trophy as the player who best displays “leadership, hustle and dedication.” [link]  Very foxy qualities.  The award is fan-selected, and Matt edged out former Foxy Friday John Tavares by just 20 votes.

Word has it that Matt is dating Boomber Esiason’s daughter Sydney.  I would not normally point this out…

Unless she turned down Tyler Seguin for all the world to see.

ONE lonely punctuation mark between them.  ONE.

And that is how you know Matt Martin is seriously foxy.

Follow Matt on Twitter: @mattymarts17

(Now back to your regularly schedule program: GO PENS!)