FC Hockey<\/a>: 155th
Gabriel Foley\u2019s Rankings<\/a>: 64th<\/p>\n
Owen Martin is a skilled all-around center who does good work in all three zones. Offensively, he won\u2019t blow people away with high scoring figures, but he\u2019s a steady and consistent player who doesn\u2019t make many mistakes with the puck, even to the point of playing too safe and not taking enough risks.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/2025_NHL_Draft_THW_PGuide2-copy-1200x724.jpg\")
James Hagens, Matthew Schaefer (The Hockey Writers)<\/p>\n
Even though Martin isn\u2019t an elite point producer, his numbers significantly improved across his two full seasons with the Spokane Chiefs. His confidence on the puck and strong decision-making earned him a spot on Spokane\u2019s second power-play unit. He went from 24 points in 2023-24 to 34 points in 2024-25 \u2014 driven in part by his eagerness to crash the net \u2014 despite playing 15 fewer games in the latter due to injuries. His plus\/minus jumped from minus-12 in his first season to plus-16 in his second, indicating tremendous growth and maturity that NHL teams hope will develop even further. <\/p>\n
He improved on offense and defense, the latter of which is probably the most appealing aspect of his game. He has a very high hockey IQ, and uses this to anticipate plays and position himself in passing lanes. He puts himself in the right spot, and his faceoff skill and willingness to block shots make him valuable on defense in general as well as the penalty kill. On the flip side, he needs to improve his on-puck defense, in terms of both taking the puck from players and dishing out hits. In fact, his physicality as a whole needs to improve \u2014 he\u2019s sometimes hesitant to get involved in puck battles and often gets pushed away from the puck too easily.<\/p>\n
Related: THW\u2019s 2025 NHL Draft Guide<\/a><\/p>\n Martin combines all of his strengths as an excellent transition player. Once he gains control of the puck in the defensive zone, he uses his ability to read the game to move confidently through the neutral zone and make smart decisions with the puck to generate offense whether through shooting or passing. Where many players might look to make the spectacular play, Martin consistently makes the right play and contributes to winning hockey.<\/p>\n Other THW Draft Profiles<\/p>\n Owen Martin \u2013 NHL Draft Projection<\/p>\n Martin\u2019s lack of offensive explosiveness prevents him from being a top-tier prospect in this draft, but his solid 200-foot game will give teams reason to go after him in the middle rounds. He\u2019ll also have a chance to improve his stock as an invitee to this year\u2019s combine<\/a>. He is most likely a fourth-round pick, although a late third-round selection isn\u2019t out of the question.<\/p>\n Quotables<\/p>\n \u201cMartin is a right-shot two-way forward with great awareness and poise. He excels at reading the game and consistently puts himself in positions to succeed all over the ice. In the defensive zone, he takes away lanes effectively while playing both as a right winger and a center. He has a good stick and solid timing on poke checks.\u201d \u2013 Nathan Hutchinson, FC Hockey<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cMartin is a very fundamental forward. He\u2019s responsible in his positioning, how he pressures opponents, and how he moves up the ice with possession. Not the quickest skater, but he\u2019s nimble in his stickhandling and finds quick passes easily. Works well in systems and a special teams specialist. Good instinct for where to be, but doesn\u2019t engage opponents with his stick or body enough to make a huge impact. He needs something more \u2013 a jump, more strength, more confident driving \u2013 that could bring his game to a top level, but as it stands he\u2019s a responsible all-three-zones forward with great PK upside.\u201d \u2013 Gabriel Foley, Recruit Scouting<\/a><\/p>\n Strengths<\/p>\n Offensive decision-making<\/p>\n Defensive anticipation and positioning<\/p>\n Shot-blocking<\/p>\n Penalty killing<\/p>\n Under Construction \u2013 Improvements to Make<\/p>\n Defensive aggression and physicality<\/p>\n Play creation<\/p>\n Offensive risk-taking<\/p>\n NHL Potential<\/p>\n Martin can make his mark in the NHL as the prototypical third-line center \u2014 someone who won\u2019t dominate on offense but doesn\u2019t turn the puck over, consistently makes the right play defensively, and plays a crucial penalty-killing role while also chipping in some scoring. If he can grow his offensive game, there\u2019s a chance he could turn into a second-liner and even get power-play time.<\/p>\n Risk-Reward Analysis<\/p>\n Risk \u2013 1.5\/5, Reward \u2013 3.5\/5<\/p>\n Fantasy Hockey Potential<\/p>\n Offense \u2013 5.5\/10, Defense \u2013 7.5\/10<\/p>\n Awards\/Achievements<\/p>\n 2022 WAAA U15 First All-Star Team<\/p>\n 2022 WAAA U15 goals leader<\/p>\n Interviews\/Links<\/p>\n Owen Martin Stats<\/p>\n Videos<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Sign up for our NHL Prospects & Draft Substack newsletter<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a>![\"Substack](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Substack_Banner_Prospects-1-1200x122.jpg\")
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