Looking To Improve Fighting Ability, Pageau Turns To Martin: ‘I Want To Be Ready’

New York Islanders forward Matt Martin shared some fighting tips with Jean-Gabriel Pageau on Wednesday. Our Stefen Rosner caught up with both of them, leading to a funny hotel story.

ARLINGTON, VA -- Fighting may be a lost art in today's NHL, but you never know when the gloves might need to come off. 

Whether a player drops the gloves in a routine bout or is forced to after ringing someone's bell with a big hit, it's important to be prepared. 

That's why New York Islanders forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau asked his teammate Matt Martin for some tips following their skate on Tuesday:

Martin, a 15-year NHL veteran standing at six-foot-three and weighing 220 pounds, is known for his fighting ability, having done so over 150 times at the NHL level, according to HockeyFights.com. 

The Windsor native has one fight this season, dropping the gloves against Ottawa Senators Mark Kastelic on Oct. 26:

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4rJW6hWKgs[/embed]

Pageau, standing at five-foot-11 weighing 185 pounds, can be a pest out there on the ice. He's fought 11 times over his 12-year career. 

"He's obviously stronger," Pageau told The Hockey News. "He's got a lot of fighting experience, and the tips are always good. He's obviously been around for a while now, and he gave me a couple of good tips."

The French Canadian centerman isn't someone who looks to drop the gloves, but you never know when you are going to need to defend a teammate.

"Sometimes we need to answer [for a hit]," Pageau said. "I want to be ready and know what I'm doing, and some reminders are always good."

Pageau dropped the gloves in his first-ever game as an Islander after Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba hit then-teammate Michael Dal Colle up high, leading to an election for No. 44:

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dtz7H-INyDo[/embed]

It turns out that both Pageau and Martin love to wrestle, which they did Wednesday night in their hotel room after getting to D.C.

"I like to wrestle. He likes to wrestle, too. Even last night in the hotel room, we're just wrestling," Pageau said. "I started on top. I gave him the head start, and then we stopped because some tables were getting pushed around the room."

Safety first, folks. 

Pageau thought he had won the fight, so it was only fair to get Martin's thoughts. 

"He thinks he won," Martin told THN. "But the other problem is when you let your friend off the hook, they try to take advantage of that. That's kind of what happened.

"But we're just goofing around, having a good time. He's a strong little bugger, that's for sure."

Next time Pageau gets into a tussle, pay attention, as he may have a few tricks up his sleeve courtesy of Martin.