Brady Martin isn’t exactly a local product, playing his junior hockey just over the border from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Still, if you’re a Detroit Red Wings fan and you like somewhat local products, Brady Martin may be on your shortlist if you’re hoping to see your team take someone who plays nearby at No. 13.
And Martin, who Tankathon has going to the Pittsburgh Penguins in their June 15th mock draft, might just fall to the Wings if he lasts another two selections in real life. He’s a player nobody’s complaining about should he end up wearing the winged wheel sweater for a while before ultimately returning to the OHL for at least another season.
One of the draft’s younger prospects, Martin turned 18 in March, yet his 6’0, 187-lb frame is more than ideal for someone whose game is far from a finished product. That said, while I’ve covered a few good prospects already, Martin might be one of the more intriguing of the bunch.
What makes Brady Martin an incredible fit for the Red Wings?
If Steve Yzerman took Martin on draft day, he’s adding even more center depth, and it’s a position that’s rather thin right now for the big club. Other than Dylan Larkin and Marco Kasper, it’s a turbulent position, so if I’m Yzerman, I wouldn’t be shy about taking Martin based on his listed position.
Maybe he’s an NHL center or maybe he’ll fit in better at wing. But if there’s a chance he can take face-offs and play the position as well as Larkin and Kasper, then the Wings have a winner here. If not, then they still probably drafted an effective forward, given the way he advanced his game in Year 2 in juniors.
Martin finished the season with 72 points and 33 goals in 57 games, tacking on another goal in two contests in the Prospects Challenge. He also put up an incredible 11 points and three goals in seven contests at the World Juniors. All of this makes me confident Martin’s about to take over the OHL next season.
How long until Martin’s suiting up for the big club if the Wings take him?
Martin will play another two seasons in the OHL, but that gives him more time to further develop what’s become a brewing three-zone game, in which he’s displayed an elite skillset whether he’s got the puck or not. He could evolve into a smaller power forward, given his physical nature, so I’m projecting that he’ll transform into a solid middle-six center at worst.
Martin would most likely head to the AHL for a season or two following his final two years in the OHL, so if the Wings drafted him, he’s likely not coming in as a full-timer until the 2029-30 season. But, it’s a conservative estimate on my part. Should he prove to be a fast learner, there’s always the chance he ends up as a full-timer before that.
Either way, if Martin’s there, he’s another prospect I’m strongly considering if I’m Steve Yzerman. There’s not a single player I’ve covered who I haven’t liked, but if I had to rank them, Martin would be near the top.
