Islanders Looking to Improve in 2013
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Joel Auerbach/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — The New York Islanders will begin their 48-game shortened season on Saturday when they host the New Jersey Devils at the Nassau Coliseum.
The Islanders are coming off a season in which they were 34-37-11 and finished last in the Atlantic Division.
Forward Matt Martin signed a four-year deal with the club pre-lockout back in September and is happy that he’ll get to start earning his paycheck.
“It’s been a long four months,” Martin said of the recent NHL lockout. “We’re excited to be back to work now.”
Martin says he understands that the NHL has the greatest fans and expressed his appreciation to them.
“Sorry for putting them through that, for us it was just important to get a good deal done,” said Martin. “We obviously wanted to be back to work.”
So it’s back to work and a condensed 48-game schedule.
“It’s going to be tough for all the teams,” said Martin. “We’re all in the same boat; I don’t think you can really use that as an excuse.”
The Islanders will be moving from Nassau Coliseum to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn come 2015.
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