Martin's eventual 2024-25 season was capped when he was chosen by the Nashville Predators with the No. 5 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. He had 72 points (33 goals, 39 assists) in 57 games with Sault Ste. Marie of the Ontario Hockey League, and 11 points (three goals, eight assists) to help Canada win the gold medal at the 2025 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.

Though Martin didn't turn 18 until March 16, Sault Ste. Marie coach John Dean gained enough trust in Martin that he played him in all situations, asking him to "carry a lot of the mail."

Martin knew growing up that it was farm chores first, hockey second. He'd wake up around 6 a.m., clean pens, feed and milk cows, care for some of the 60,000 chickens on the 250-acre farm and help with anything that came up on the family's 300-acre farm about 11 miles north in Belwood, Ontario, which has dairy cows and pigs. He's also an experienced welder, having spent time working for Jembrook Welding.

That work ethic reflected in his play in the trenches and is the type of player who will make an impact in clutch situations. He made a strong final impression on scouts by helping Canada win the gold medal at the 2025 Worlds.

Martin signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Predators on Aug. 20, 2025. He was minus-1 in 12:44 of ice time in his NHL debut, Nashville's 2-1 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 9. Two nights later he got his first NHL point with an assist on Filip Forsberg's first-period goal in a 3-2 loss to the Utah Mammoth.