Hurricanes' Spencer Martin Is A Role Model Who Always Fights For Unforgettable Moments

Hockey is more than just a game. It goes beyond the 200-foot-long by 85-foot-wide dimensions in the NHL to Olympic sizes in Europe. It passes through small fields scattered throughout North America. Sometimes they go back to the backyard ponds where they play until it's too dark to see or the flood lights in the backyard shine until dawn. The love of hockey is more than just a game where fans watch 10 skaters simultaneously chase a black rubber puck.

There's something poetic about hockey and how memories can be made just by playing with friends in the backyard, on the sidewalks, or maybe in the driveway somewhere in your neighborhood. Maybe, just maybe, the higher you go in your hockey career, the bigger and brighter the memories. If so, Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Spencer Martin just had the biggest memory of five years in the NHL on a cold Saturday night (Nov. 16) in Raleigh, North Carolina.

A trip to Raleigh

Before that magical night in Raleigh on November 16, the story begins back in 2013 when Martin was drafted 63rd overall in the third round of the NHL Draft by the Colorado Avalanche. The Oakville, ON native played for the Mississauga Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League before being drafted by the Avalanche. Fast forward to 2016-17, he played in three games for the team that drafted him, finishing with a 0-2-1 record with a .865 save percentage (SV%) and a 4.35 goals-against average (GAA). It wouldn't be until the 2021-22 season before he got another shot at starting games in the NHL.

His next major league hockey appearance was with the Vancouver Canucks, where in the 2021-22 season, he started six games, going 3-0-3 for an undefeated record. Martin finished that season with a .950 SV% and a 1.74 GAA that earned him more starts the following season with the Canucks. In 27 starts, he went on to have an 11-15-1 record with an .871 SV% and a 3.99 GAA in his final season in Western Canada. The 27 starts and 29 games played in total were big for Martin, who was still trying to find his place in the NHL in some way, as a backup or tandem netminder.

Related: Hurricanes Down Senators 4-0 as Spencer Martin Notches First NHL Shutout

The 2023-24 season would be a year of lows and highs for the former Steelhead netminder, as he began the season with the Columbus Blue Jackets to be paired with Elvis Merzlinkins. In his 10 games for the Blue Coats, he went 3-8-1 with a .887 SV% and a 3.65 GAA. It looks like it's going to be another mediocre season for the Ontario goaltender on a struggling team. However, that was not the case as the Blue Jackets placed him on waivers in hopes of being sent to the American Hockey League (AHL) and playing for the Cleveland Monsters, their organization.

Storms have come.

The Hurricanes were struggling in net with Frederik Andersen missing most of the time due to blood clotting issues and Antti Raanta struggling to block the net. Their saving grace was Pyotr Kochetkov who was the goalkeeper they had hoped he would be. However, they needed someone strong to help support the Russian network. Carolina wasted no time and said that Martin was gone, throwing number 41 in her stall. Martin was now officially the goalie of the Carolina Hurricanes. After that, the tide began to turn in favor of “Spence.”

Martin Finished 2023-24 Strong

After being cleared on waivers, Martin went on to have a 4-1-1 record in six games for the Hurricanes. He sported an .896 SV% and 2.63 GAA before Andersen returned to action. Spence played the last game of the regular season before the playoffs against the Blue Jackets, which didn't matter much at the time since the seeds were already set. Even before the regular season ended, Martin re-signed with the Hurricanes on March 16, 2024, inking a one-year, $775,000 deal to stay with the organization. The Hurricanes offered Martin a lifeline to stay with the team that shot him off waivers and he took it.

Related: Hurricanes Claim Spencer Martin Off Waivers

As the summer progressed, it became clear that he would likely begin the 2024-25 season with the AHL's Chicago Wolves after the two sides signed an agreement to reteam for the next three seasons. Martin, being the top player he is, went to Wolves to become the team's first-choice netminder. However, that didn't last long, as Andersen went down following the Hurricanes' 4-1 win over the Seattle Kraken on October 26.

Since then, Martin has been supporting Kochetkov who was on a seven-game winning streak before the team lost 4-1 to the Utah Hockey Club on Nov. 13. The team was out for a few days before facing the Ottawa Senators in the first game of a back-to-back on Nov. 16 and 17. Martin would face the Senators, and that's when the hockey Gods smiled on the 29-year-old netminder.

This is yours, Spence

Martin got the nod in net for Carolina, who were looking to bounce back after going 1-2-0 on their short three-game road trip that saw them lose Kochetkov and Seth Jarvis to injuries. However, it was clear from the start that the Hurricanes would play their hockey game which at that time saw them with a record of 11-4-0. Martin was dialed in every step of the way, blocking every shot that was thrown at him. He was hitting 10 shutout after 10 save as the game went on. He, at points, went for highway robberies on Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk, who even smiled as he felt the momentum going his way.

Overall, the Hurricanes had a special teams night to remember, going 4-for-4 on the penalty kill and 2-for-5 on the power play. Martin Necas extended his streak to 12 games. Sebastian Aho and Jackson Blake each had power play goals, and Jordan Martinook led the team with his sixth goal of the season. As the game progressed, it became clear that the team in front of Martin wanted to help him win and close. In the end, Martin stopped all 24 shots the Senators put on net in a 4-0 win over the Hurricanes for the team's 12th win of the season.

In his 60th career NHL game, he claimed his first NHL shutout. Martin recorded 13 shutouts in 217 AHL games, but his first in the NHL came 2,857 days after his start with the Avalanche back in Jan. 21, 2017.

A Night to Remember for Martin

After the game head coach Rod Brind'Amour praised Martin for an outstanding performance in net for the Hurricanes. “He played well for us when we called him… [Goaltending] it's a very important position and that was a good game by him. It allowed us to get the win, definitely. He made a great save. There [were] many close calls and he saved us.”

After the game, Martin received the “C5” hat that Brind'Amour gave to the most deserving boy, and he was well deserving of that honor and praise from a head coach, legendary in Hurricanes history.

Aho even gave some flowers to the netminder who prepared them for the entire game, “I thought they had a lot of looks there at the end, but you want to make sure you close out after that kind of play. He had to do it himself there, but it was a wonderful, scary game for him. Great for the next man to come in… Great. It tells you a lot about this guy.”

Even the man himself was feeling high after an incredible night that saw him get mobbed by his teammates after the game during the Canes' usual “Storm Surge.” “The way we started the game. When we came back from that road trip, we weren't happy about some of those losses. It showed up in the first half and we rode it from there… It was incredibly special. I prayed and prayed and prayed that I would get an opportunity, and for it to go well is unbelievable.”

It was definitely an incredible night and one that will forever be remembered by Martin, the franchise, and the Caniacs who throw their support behind anyone in a Canes jersey. People will always remember where they were on November 16th when they saw Spencer Martin's first career shutout in the NHL and thankfully for everyone, it was a home game at the Lenovo Center in the loudest house in the NHL.

Take a bow, Spencer Martin.

Bring on the Blues

While it's nice to remember the magical moments, the NHL season never ends. The Hurricanes should end the weekend with a second straight game as they host St. The puck drop is scheduled for 5pm Eastern on FanDuel Sports Network and on the radio at 99.9 The Fan. Will we see storms sweep the weekend set?