Scratch another bachelor from the Maple Leafs lineup.
Winger Matt Martin proposed to longtime girlfriend Sydney Esiason on Sunday in Toronto, detailed in an Instagram post from the Distillery district with help from teammate Mitch Marner.
Chirped him so hard about ruining a surprise party last night and then today he fooled me completely. Jax your parents are getting married! I can’t wait to spend forever with you babe! I love you ❤️ (Thanks for the vid @stephlachancee!)
Sydney is the daughter of football star and commentator Boomer Esiason, a New York Rangers fan who has joked in the past of feuding with Martin, his future son-in-law who dressed for the rival Islanders before signing with the Leafs. Sydney Esiason worked in media in the NYC area.
The couple were with their dog, Jax, in the Distillery, when Sydney started checking out the love locks art installation. She turned to find Martin on one knee. When she accepted and Jax got in a few face licks, a small crowd applauded.
“Chirped him so hard about ruining a surprise party last night and then today he fooled me completely,” Sydney’s post read. “Jax your parents are getting married! I can’t wait to spend forever with you babe! I love you.”
Martin was taking congratulations in the Leafs’ dressing room on Monday, both for taking the plunge and for staging the right romantic moment.
“We took the dog for a walk where we normally go,” Martin said. “Her Mom (Cheryl) was in town and Mitchy was there to capture some of it. It was a pretty special day.”
The rough plan is a wedding in the summer of 2019.
“We haven’t got that far yet,” Martin said. “Most of that will be her decision, her planning. She’ll probably leave me out of most of that stuff.”
He will push for the usual NHL player’s input on the exact date — not before the end of the Stanley Cup finals in late June in case his team is still playing.
Congratulations flowed in from social media, including from Martin’s Leafs teammates such as Marner and Connor Carrick.
Marner wrote: “No your crying not me” with tear drop and heart emojis.
The bigger the sombrero…
I can see Señor Frogs from here
Bury me in @zigilane__ #nizucresort
just in time 😉✨
👹🎄
Bear sandwhich
happy birthday to my 🌎
Solid weekend 👠thank you for having us @eastendhospice
It took 7 months but we finally got that corny couple pic with the CN Tower 🐸
❤️
PUDDIN! 🃏#HappyHalloween