Predators select Brady Martin No. 5 overall in 2025 NHL Draft
The Nashville Predators selected center Brady Martin of the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds with the fifth overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft Friday night at The Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
As we’ve watched heavy hockey dominate the Stanley Cup playoffs, Martin’s stock soared in recent months, though he’s not just a blunt instrument by any means. He has dynamic elements to his game. He’s a strong skater who can put defensemen back on their heels and turn them inside out with dynamic puckhandling at high speeds. He had 33 goals and 72 points in 57 games with the Greyhounds this season for a reason.
But the magic in Martin’s profile is the sandpaper he weaves into his game. On top of his scoring prowess, he’s capable of blowing opponents up with hits of all kind – open-ice, reverse, whatever his team needs. Martin brings a degree of explosiveness and violence to his game that teams desperately crave in the postseason. He could become a momentum-changing top-six forward in the vein of the Florida Panthers’ Sam Bennett at the NHL level. Perhaps Martin is so hard to play against because he did so much of his training growing up on a farm in Elmira, Ont., getting stronger but also putting in hard work every day.
Martin helped Canada to gold at the 2025 Under-18 World Championship, picking up 11 points in seven games. While plus-minus is an antiquated stat to use nowadays, it was eye-opening to see him go plus-15 in a short tournament; that’s simply not easy to do.
Martin’s well-rounded game gives him quite a high floor among other similarly ranked players in the Class of 2025. As for the ceiling? It’s unlikely he’ll compete for Art Ross Trophies, but he’s a good bet to become an impactful middle-six forward who plays in all situations, at worst.
“Away from the puck, Martin hits everyone in sight, constantly battles hard for the puck and is a noted goal-scorer, too,” said Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis, who had him as a top 10 prospect. “He doesn’t always have top-level players to play with on the Greyhounds, but he does look like one of the best players to come out of the OHL this year because he does so much all over the ice and never gives up on a play.”
SPONSORED BY bet365