Projection: Bottom Six Power Forward

Tools: Physicality, Compete, Frame

Development Opportunities: Expanding Power Forward Game, Foot Speed

Martin is a forward who leans on his physical characteristics to add value. Whether it's bringing a forechecking presence, protecting pucks, or barrelling his way to the net, it all revolves around using his 6'2 frame to make a difference. He's incredibly sturdy and balanced on his feet, giving him the tools to play that physical game and effectively work through contact. Effort and compete are constants, showing an engaged off-puck game that disrupts opposing teams on a regular basis. While those elements are the clear selling points, Martin can make his fair share of plays too, showing some finishing ability when he gets his chances in and around the net.

The projection to a depth forward who brings physicality and energy feels like a pretty safe bet to me. I think there is room to grow into a more impactful power forward role as well, dominating down low and off the cycle, and refining his handling in tight quarters would go a long way toward playing up in a lineup. At the very least, if a team is looking for a safe bet to fill a bottom six role with someone who brings compete and physicality every night, Jax is as good a choice as any at this stage of the draft.

It wasn’t many moments, but I liked when Jax was operating with the puck, you could see the sturdiness and how difficult he was to knock off. The balanced posture and strong frame enabled him to protect pucks, shield pucks from defenders, and extend possessions. The physical characteristics have been at the forefront of every evaluation of Jax, and even if it was only in spurts, you could still see them come through in this viewing. Martin set up the game-tying goal that sparked an onslaught of goals for the Red Devils, evading high in the offensive zone and hitting a trailing Andrew Laurin.

Martin scored two of Quinte’s three goals. On the first, he received a pass in the high slot, walked in, and fired one home. His second he picked up a loose puck in the slot, and tallied a powerplay marker on a bit of a scramble net front. Outside of those two moments, Jax was his usual self, getting in on the forecheck, controlling pucks down low, and playing that strong power game in the offensive zone.

Entering the game I was already familiar with many of the forwards on Quinte that were highlighted in this report, but Martin was a true first impression. He stood out from the get go, playing a strong, engaged game with consistent forechecking pressure. Jax was always going, applying pressure, and consistently winning pucks down low in the offensive zone. With the puck, I thought he protected it well, worked down low off the cycle, and played a solid role to keep play alive and sustain time in the offensive. It wasn’t anything that ends up on a highlight-reel but it was effective to force turnovers and get his team into offensive situations.