Asked about it in November 2023, Martin figured it would be a major adjustment to put a visor back on, especially given how much of his job on the ice was fighting. He played his final of 1,075 regular-season and playoff games without one on April 17.
“If they mandated it, I would’ve wore it,” Martin told The Associated Press at the time. “I took it off because of the role I play, and at the time, everybody that played that role didn’t wear it. I got used to that, so I never changed.”
Craig MacTavish, who played until 1997, was the NHL’s last helmetless player. Martin called Benn and O’Reilly “the odds-on favorites” to be the last without a visor.
