From barn boots to the big league: Brady Martin of Elmira, Ont. selected in first round of NHL draft

Playing null of undefined

Brady Martin of Elmira, Ont. selected in first round of NHL draft

Brady Martin watches from home as he’s picked 5th overall in NHL Draft

The 2025 NHL draft may have taken place in Los Angeles but for one small-town hockey player, the biggest moment of his life happened at home

Brady Martin heard his name called fifth overall in round one of the draft, surrounded by his loved ones at his family farm in Elmira, Ontario.

“I knew in my heart, and he knew, that he would be placed in the best spot for him,” said mother, Sheryl.

Martin, 19, was snapped up by the Nashville Predators after spending the last two OHL seasons as a centre with the Soo Greyhounds. He played in 57 games throughout the 2024-2025 season, with a total of 33 goals and 39 assists. Martin was also voted ‘Hardest Worker’ in the Western Conference Final in a poll by OHL coaches. Before the Greyhounds, he played for the Waterloo Wolves AAA team.

During the off season, Martin helps out with the animals and does other chores on the family farm.

So, it seemed like the perfect place to gather his family and friends for an NHL draft party.

A big screen was set up and held in place by – what else? – a tractor.

“It’s not just a ploy to be different,” Sheryl explained. “We love showing people our community and our lifestyle because it is so important to us and without it, we’re kind of nothing, right? This is what we do.”

Road to the NHL

Martin’s hockey dream did not start in an arena but in the heart of the Region of Waterloo’s farm country.

“The kids would skate on this back pond here every winter,” Sheryl said, referring to their property. “His challenge for a couple summers was to see how quickly he could scale that rope [we hung to this tree]. So, that was fun. Just farm kid stuff.”

Hockey was not something that was on his family’s radar.

Sheryl recalled how he did a face-plant during his first skate.

“We were not a hockey family,” she explained. “We weren’t raised in hockey and so it was kind of a new thing.”

Hearing his name called out in the draft was an emotional moment for the tight-knit family.

But, Sheryl added, it was also about remembering and honouring their roots.

“His brother’s like, ‘Doesn’t matter you’re drafted to the NHL, you’re still doing chores tomorrow morning, right?’” Sheryl said. “Everything is just real here. My focus was to make my kids good human beings and if they were good hockey players, that was just the bonus.”

She also has confidence her son is ready for the spotlight.

“He just goes out there and gives it his all, and that’s what he’ll do when he goes to Nashville,” Sheryl said. “He’ll do the same thing there.”

Martin is not the only local standout heading to the NHL. A list of other athletes who got the call can be found here.