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***Frenchie*** · 09-08-2022, 12:14 PM

A homegrown Mont Saint-Grégoire player proud of his roots, Derek Martin came into hockey as a typical kid who starts off learning to skate on the ice ponds in the village. It was as if he was born to have skates on his feet with a glide as natural as it gets. From humble beginnings, his father works in a local agriculture feed factory and his mother as a nurse at the local clinic. Although they have very little experience with hockey, the Martin family with sons Derek, Alexandre and daughters Mallorie and Jeanne have always been supportive in their endeavours, despite lack of understanding at times but strongly forged into their desire to excel in everything and work hard. Their attitude is reminiscent of family tradition working on the family land.

Overcoming hardships is part of Martin’s DNA, having had to go through illness before blowing out his 10th candle. Through focus, mental resiliency and the support of his family, he came out on the other side with a newly found appreciation for the opportunity to play the game he loves.

He went through the minor hockey phases, starting out at 5 years old and progressing rapidly. When turning 11, he was quickly noticed by an out-of-town coach during a local tournament. “His skating ability and vision for such a young age were remarkable for such a young age” said Brandon Turner, coach of the Granby Sentinels, a junior hockey elite program based in Quebec. “When you hear about this young man’s story and realize all he’s had to go through and come out with such a unique skill set, this is very special.” Martin eventually pursued AA hockey and then AAA hockey within the Sentinel’s organization, setting benchmarks for dedication, hard work and passion for learning the game. Going into his final season of minor hockey, Martin posted an impressive 29 goals and 74 assists for 103 points in 42 games in the QMAAA (Quebec Midget AAA).

A smart, high IQ player, Martin loves to feed his teammates and create offensive chances out of nothing. What makes him a unique player is how he turns plain situations into a high-scoring chance play, finding space on the ice to progress the puck. Sometimes, it’s a drive to the net, other times he uses his speed and spacing to create bubbles and make the pass for an easy job finish. Nonetheless, his relentlessness and work ethic make for an electric forward who will vastly improve scoring on whatever team he finds himself on.

Dubbed “The Workhorse”, Derek Martin is excited to get going and showcase his ability, earn the respect of his peers and any management team he finds himself to be around and promote strong character and friendship in the locker room. When asked about the possibility of being selected in the top 5 in the upcoming SMJHL Draft, Derek Martin says he is aware of where his game is at and understands that it may be appealing to GM’s across the league, but still has a ways to go to reach his potential and hopes to find an environment in which he can continue his development and thrive as a young hockey player and as a young man.

540 words.