"I've got so much damn hockey stuff here, information books and all that," Martyn said. "That's when it really hits you, when you start piling that stuff away. You realize you're not going to be using it anymore."
That sinking-in feeling arrived as Martyn prepared to leave his apartment permanently for his home in Gaylord.
It was 10 hours after finishing his last of 31 seasons as lead Red Wings radio announcer. And about six since a private plane ride home with the Wings from East Rutherford, NJ., where the Devils finished sweeping Detroit from the Stanley Cup finals.
"Actually, I kind of shied away from saying much to the players until we got on the plane," Martyn said. "Then on the trip back, I talked to all of them. And they were all very nice, too. They're all very nice young men, this group."
Martyn had planned to make only brief note of his exit during his final broadcast Saturday night. But the Devils' many minutes of post-Cup celebration changed that plan, along with analyst Paul Woods steering talk to Martyn's last game.
"And your situation, Bruce, moving on after this year — your last year," said Woods, Martyn's partner for eight seasons. "I tell you what, when we got done with Chicago, I thought it was going to work out for everybody —playing in the finals, winning, you going out on a winning note.
"And I'm equally frustrated about that."
That prompted Martyn to say a semifinal farewell: "I've had so many nice comments and letters. I tell you what, I'd love to answer every single one of them, but I don't know if I'll ever have the opportunity to do that, there's been so many. But people have been so very nice.
"And back through the years, I don't think I've ever had a bad day in hockey — I know I haven't. It's just been a pleasure. And some of the people who have made it so wonderful for me through 31 years, going back to Budd Lynch, who I started it all with, and Sid Abel — and yourself. And what fun we've had over the last eight years.
I know that you'll continue along in the grand tradition, and maybe help to bring that Stanley Cup into the Joe Louis Arena. I said I felt sorry for the Red Wings, but I tell you who I also feel a great deal of disappointment for —the Ilitches, who have put so much time and money and energy into this hockey club, and came so close, but have missed it."
Martyn's last on-air Wings moment began with: "Not a soul in this crowd has left, but I guess we should."
Again, Martyn thanked lots of friends and fans.
"For Paul Woods, who I again thank for helping me along the way and making everything so very enjoyable, and to all of you out there who have been listening and putting up with me for a long, long time, let me say thank you (pause) — and good night."
At broadcast's end, Martyn sounded glad to have been here, but more glad to be going.
"I have to say Paul was closer to tears than I was," Martyn said. "But these are friendships you're not going to lose; I'm still going to stay close to these people.
"If I didn't want to do this, I wouldn't do it. After all, I've known I was going to do this for a whole season."
Donna Martyn's tears flowed rather freely Saturday night at the couple's Gaylord home, as she listened to her husband sign off.
"Oh, I got very choked up," she said. "I'm thinking this is the last game of his I'm going to hear. And I was wondering if Bruce was feeling the same. He didn't sound like it.
But it's sure going to be a big change, a big adjustment — but a good one, I think."
The true test will have nothing to do with sorting and pitching paper, Donna Martyn said, and everything to do with hockey withdrawal.
"I think Bruce certainly has mixed emotions about it," she said. "He looks forward to having lots of free time to do things he hasn't been able to do before.
"On the other hand, he's sure going to miss it. And I think all this will really hit him more in the fall than it does now. I think that's when Bruce will really know what he's missing."
