Martin, who recorded one assist and averaged 11:25 of ice time over those three games with the Preds, including his NHL debut on Opening Night, gained a wealth of knowledge having started the season alongside veterans Filip Forsberg and Ryan O’Reilly. He also got a taste of life on the road in the NHL as he traveled with the team to Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and Winnipeg last week through his home country.
Those experiences as an 18-year-old are invaluable at this stage of his career, but Martin was also honest about his situation.
“The game takes a lot out of you, and he said that even one of the biggest things is how hard you have to play, that you cannot take a breath,” Trotz said of his conversations with Martin. “In junior, once in a while he can take a breath, and he says you can’t take a breath here, because [the opposition will] make you pay. [The NHL is] a very unforgiving League, and so the experience of that, and him even saying that, and adjusting his game – like, you didn’t see him running through guys that were 45 pounds heavier than him or anything like that. He adjusted his game to control guys positionally, all that. So, he’s got a good stick. There’s lots of good things with him.”
Trotz now expects Martin to return to the OHL and show exactly why the Preds elected him fifth overall last June to begin with. Martin’s ability with the puck, combined with his physicality and decision making away from the play give him an advantage not many others his age possess.
Combine that with the chance to be a leader – and perhaps the captain – of the Greyhounds this season, and the opportunity for Martin is plentiful. Now, he’s just got to take advantage with the Preds assisting his development from afar.
“He’s sort of the whole package,” Trotz said. “This is a player that is not afraid of the moment. He’s not afraid of going up against top guys. Some guys are, but just like Brady, you want players to thrive and not just survive… He’s going to have to get bigger and stronger and all those things, but the mind of the game, how he thinks the game, all that is in a really good place. So, we’re really excited. I’m excited for him. He’s going to be a core player for us for a long time, and he’s got the right DNA. He’s got a great work ethic, as we all know. I think he’s a very humble kid and a realistic kid.”
Martin’s first few weeks in the NHL was just a taste of what’s to come. And when the day does arrive for him to be in Nashville on a full-time basis? Well, that’s when the real fun will start.
“Sometimes young players see themselves in different ways, but he’s very grounded and understands what he needs to do and where he wants to go,” Trotz said. “He’s got an inner confidence and a fire that is undeniable.”