Brady Martin could fill several different roles for Canada at the world junior hockey championship.
Need some offence? Martin finished off two passes from fellow top-line winger Gavin McKenna in Canada's 2-1 win over Sweden in the first pre-tournament game for both teams Wednesday in Kitchener, Ont. — about 30 minutes down the road from the family farm he grew up on in Elmira, Ont.
Need some grunt work? The energetic Martin was a physical presence throughout and could provide an offensive threat on a line further down the lineup when the likes of Porter Martone, Cole Beaudoin, Tij Iginla and Michael Misa enter game action for potential top-six duty.
Need help on the penalty kill? The fifth-overall pick by the Nashville Predators in this year's NHL Draft had three short-handed goals last season with the OHL's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and has added another this year.
"He's a hard-nosed player but with skill," Canada coach Dale Hunter said after Wednesday's win. "They're hard to find. He plays hard, he knows how to score. He goes to the net ... At the end of the night, the opposing team will go he was tough to play against and that's what you want to hear."
Martin's chemistry with a pair of NCAA players — Penn State's McKenna and top-line centre Michael Hage of Michigan — was undeniable in Canada's first dress-rehearsal. Martin opened the scoring with a one-timer from up high and then broke a 1-1 tie when he got past a Swedish defender before taking a pass from McKenna and making a nice move in tight in the third period.
"He's a lot of fun to play with," McKenna said. "He's a great guy to be around, so he's pretty easy to mesh with on and off the ice. He's got a thing for scoring big goals."
Martin was equally complimentary of McKenna.
"The way he sees the ice, his skating, he's just all-around elite," the six-footer said. "His hands, he makes plays, he always makes the right play. If you just get open, he'll find you."
Martin lined up with Hage and Iginla on the second line at Friday's practice. Misa centred McKenna and Martone on the top line. We'll see if Hunter sticks with those units on Saturday in the finale of a two-game exhibition set against Sweden in London, Ont.
Canada will play one more exhibition Tuesday against Denmark in Minnesota before opening the tournament against Czechia on Boxing Day.
Misa arrived at camp in Niagara Falls, Ont., on Thursday after being assigned by the San Jose Sharks, while Martone, Beaudoin and Iginla were healthy scratches on Wednesday. Beaudoin was flanked by Cole Reschny and Jett Luchanko on the third line at Friday's practice.
Martin played three of the Predators' first seven games this season before he was sent back to the Soo, where he has five goals and 11 assists in 13 games this year for a top-four team in the OHL's Western Conference. He had 33 goals and 39 assists for 72 points to go along with 68 penalty minutes in 57 games last season.
In his time in Nashville, Martin said he got "little tips and tricks" from guys like Filip Forsberg and Ryan O'Reilly. The Preds veterans stressed to Martin that "every detail matters."
Martin's teammates with the national junior team like what they see.
"He's just like a dawg," said Luchanko, who had many Western Conference battles with Martin while he was a member of the Guelph Storm before being traded to the Brantford Bulldogs last month.
"He works hard. It's definitely tough to play against. It's a lot of fun to have him on the same team."
Martin said one key for him is keeping his game simple.
Expect him to do that no matter where he is in the lineup.
"Just compete hard and (be) hard on the forecheck," Martin said. "That's my game. Just find the players I'm playing with is a big thing for me. Go to the net and find opportunities to score."
