WHL Playoffs: Spokane Chiefs forward Owen Martin returns from injury to bolster scoring depth in playoffs

It’s been a tumultuous season for Owen Martin. The center from Oakbank, Manitoba – who turns 18 on Sunday – wanted to parlay a solid rookie season into one that would see his stock rise as he entered his NHL draft year with the Spokane Chiefs.

What happened, rather, instead was a story of initial disappointment, acceptance, diligence and – finally – triumph.

Martin scored the go-ahead goal late in the third period of Game 4 of the Western Conference championship in Portland on Thursday – his fifth goal in 15 playoff games. The satisfaction of contributing at such a critical juncture, and the postgame celebration for advancing to the WHL finals, was a mix of emotions for a player who missed a good chunk of such an important season to injury.

After scoring 14 goals with 10 assists in 54 games last season, Martin and the team was were hoping he would be an important secondary scoring cog for the Chiefs, who have had playoff aspirations all season following a four-game sweep in the first round last year.

Martin made an impact on the ice for the Chiefs in the first 19 games of the season, posting five goals and eight assists for 13 points.

But on Nov. 22 against Everett, Martin went down to block a shot – something he’s done thousands ofmany times in his young hockey career. Unlike all those previous times, though, he sustained a significant lower-leg injury.

“The injury was definitely tough,” Martin said. “I kind of took one for the team there. Blocking a shot, it hurts.”

He was in a boot for about two months, forced to watch practice and games from the stands while his teammates prepared and battled without him. The first few practices were the worst.

“Finding out that you’re going to be missing some time, it’s obviously hard,” Martin said. “But I think, you know, after those first couple days, you kind of get back in that positive mindset, and just get dialed in on rehab, working as hard as I could to get back.”

He credits his teammates for helping him to stay focused during the long time off the ice.

“I think the boys really helped me come back from that,” he said. “They helped me out getting my rehab done, making sure I was staying on top of that.”

As much as Martin wanted to be participating, he said the team winning helped ease his mind some.

“Obviously, you want to be out there helping the guys, but they were having success,” he said. “Just watching, it was exciting, you know? It’s my buddies, my best buddies, my teammates. It’s exciting seeing them win. So even though I couldn’t be out there, it was still exciting.”

Martin missed exactly two months, returning Jan. 22. Since drawing back into the lineup through the end of the regular season, Martin had eight goals and 13 assists, including three two-goal games.

Martin tried not to get caught up in his feelings when he was finally able to get back on the ice.

“There were lot of emotions running through my head,” he said. “But, you know, I felt great getting back out there, battling with my best buddies. That’s what you want, that’s what you hope for. So, yeah, coming back was, it was definitely a great feeling.”

The biggest hurdle of his recovery was facing that first shot or check from an opponent who didn’t care he was just returning from injury.

“It was a little nerve-wracking at first, for sure,” Martin said. “But you know, I kind of just had to get back into the swing of things. It felt good, almost, getting (hit) over with.”

Despite the significant gap in playing time, Martin was still among the 66 WHL players named to NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings ahead of the 2025NHL entry draft in late June. Martin was ranked 69th among North American skaters. He has tried not to let the anxiousness of draft day slip into his thoughts.

“It’s exciting. Kind of been in the back of my mind all year, obviously,” he said. “But the championship (series) is on the top of my mind right now. Just looking forward to the championship. And then, yeah, worry about (the draft) when the season’s over.”

Chiefs prepare for trio of drafts

Not only do the Chiefs embark on the best-of-seven WHL championship series this week, but the front office is also busy preparing for a series of opportunities to restock the team for the future – and hoping to protect their current assets from the league’s newest member.

The WHL expansion draft, when the Penticton Vees will build their first roster as league members, takes place Wednesday.

The Vees will be allowed to select one player from each of the 22 WHL teams’ rosters ahead of their inaugural season. Since the Chiefs are playing in the WHL championship, they are not required to submit a protected list until two days after their season ends.

The U.S. priority draft is Thursday. The Chiefs hold the 17th overall (first round) and 31st overall (second round) picks. Players eligible for the U.S. priority draft will be 2010-born players who reside in Western U.S. states.

The WHL prospects draft will follow the U.S. priority draft on Thursday. Spokane does not have a pick in the first round this year, but holds two picks in the top 100 selections, starting with 28th overall.

The draft will continue indefinitely until all teams pass on their next pick.