Veteran Matt Martin defends New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello and his controversial rules
The veteran Matt Martin defended New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello and his controversial rules in a recent interview.
In the past few days, Lou Lamoriello once again made headlines for his controversial policy on hair length.
Anthony Duclair, who signed a contract with the New York Islanders earlier in the offseason, shared a picture of his hair being cut after being forced to comply with Lamoriello's rule.
Check out the story he posted on Instagram:
Lamoriello faced significant backlash after this post, as many called his policy archaic and believed it should be forgotten.
However, that's not the case with Matt Martin.
Martin, an NHL veteran who played under Lamoriello for X seasons, both with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New York Islanders, defended the GM's policy.
He stated that players know about the policy before signing, that we hear a lot more about this than the good things he does, and explained the reasons behind this method.
In his own words:
"You know the policy before signing. I mean, it's no secret," Martin told The Hockey News. "I had long hair. I signed in Toronto. I knew I had to get my hair cut."
"The thing about Lou is he is a very loyal guy. He'll do anything for you, as a person and as a player," Martin said. "He isn't someone that's looking for attention for it, either.
"You hear more about this crap than you do the good things he does."
"I've been with Lou a long time. He expects things done a certain way. He has reasons for why he wants those things done," Martin said. "So if you go up to his office and ask him why, he has a reason for why he believes in it. It's not just to show dominance. He has his reasons as to why we do everything we do.
"Whether you agree with it or not, you respect it because he puts a lot of time and effort into building a winning culture. He always has. So, every single guy falls in line. It's all about the team."
"If you ever got to know Lou, that's how he operates," Martin said. "It's not about individuals, it's about the team, and you win the race as a team.
"Whether he would share these stories with you or not, I don't know. But like I said, I've been in his office many times over the years. He has his reasons for why he believes these things make you a better team overall. So if you want to be a part of the New York Islanders, or at the time in Toronto, you know what you're signing up for when you do it."
"He is one of the first calls I would make if I ever really needed something," Martin said. "He certainly deserves more positive press than he's getting."
"The thing about Lou is he is a very loyal guy. He'll do anything for you, as a person and as a player," Martin said. "He isn't someone that's looking for attention for it, either.
"You hear more about this crap than you do the good things he does."
"I've been with Lou a long time. He expects things done a certain way. He has reasons for why he wants those things done," Martin said. "So if you go up to his office and ask him why, he has a reason for why he believes in it. It's not just to show dominance. He has his reasons as to why we do everything we do.
"Whether you agree with it or not, you respect it because he puts a lot of time and effort into building a winning culture. He always has. So, every single guy falls in line. It's all about the team."
"If you ever got to know Lou, that's how he operates," Martin said. "It's not about individuals, it's about the team, and you win the race as a team.
"Whether he would share these stories with you or not, I don't know. But like I said, I've been in his office many times over the years. He has his reasons for why he believes these things make you a better team overall. So if you want to be a part of the New York Islanders, or at the time in Toronto, you know what you're signing up for when you do it."
"He is one of the first calls I would make if I ever really needed something," Martin said. "He certainly deserves more positive press than he's getting."
Lamoriello's methods, while controversial, lead to team unity, something that's hard to see from the outside. The important thing is that players are happy to do it. Even if it can be tough for some people to cut their hair, let's not forget one thing: it'll grow back eventually.
Source: The Hockey News
Matt Martin On Islanders General Manager Lou Lamoriello's Rules: 'It's All About The Team'
Matt Martin On Islanders General Manager Lou Lamoriello's Rules: 'It's All About The Team'
| POLL | ||
27 AOUT | 51 ANSWERS Veteran Matt Martin defends New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello and his controversial rules Do you agree with Matt Martin's opinion on Lou Lamoriello's controversial rules? | ||
| Yes | 33 | 64.7 % |
| No | 18 | 35.3 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
Latest 10 stories
