Hound sparks U18 Canada
Hail to the Canadians! For the first time in program history, Team Canada is back to back champions at the Under 18 World Hockey Championships — with considerable help from a member of the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League.
In the title tilt of the recent World Championships, Canada blanked Sweden 7-0 behind a 28 save effort from Jack Ivankovic (Brampton Steelheads, OHL.) Offensively, Brady Martin (Soo Greyhounds) scored twice to pace the Canadian scoring attack.
Jack Nesbitt (Windsor Spitfires, OHL), Xavier Villeneuve (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the Quebec Maritimes Jr. Hockey League), Ethan Czata (Niagara IceDogs OHL), Jackson Smith (Tri City Americans, Western Hockey League) and Braeden Cootes (Seattle Thunderbirds, WHL ) also found the back of the net as Canada took home the U18 title.
Ivankovic and Martin were named to the tournament all star team.
Martin, who has a 2007 birth date, is being projected as a top ten pick at the upcoming 2025 National Hockey League draft.
A Greyhound scoring star, Martin is coming off of a phenomenal second season in the OHL. The 6 foot, 175 pound centre finished second on the Greyhounds in scoring during the ’24-25 OHL regular season with 33 goals, 39 assists, 72 points in 57 games. Martin then followed that up with two goals, two assists, four points as the Hounds lost to the Windsor Spitfires in five games in the first round of the OHL playoffs.
Photo of Brady Martin by Bob Davies