I
have been thinking about sharing my thoughts on Steve Martinson's
status in Allen for some time. Because I cover the team on a daily
basis, I have the privilege to talk to a lot of people about all that
goes on
around the team. Over the last few months, I have talked to everyone
from
the team owner, team president, general managers from other teams,
broadcasters, prospective team owners, players past and present, fans and sponsors just to name a few. And of course, I talk to Steve Martinson
frequently. After the big win on Wednesday that has Allen tied for first
place in the Western Conference along with seeing the announcements in
the last few days that Wichita coach Bruce Ramsay and Tulsa coach Rob
Murray have been given contract extension it is time for me to put up
or shut up. Here are my thoughts.
- The most important opinion on what happens
to Steve Martinson is that of team owner, Jack Gulati. When you take all
the financial risk as Gulati does, it is your right and prerogative to
decide what you think is best for your organization. The 2020-21 season
has been difficult for all ECHL teams whether they are playing or not. I
have talked to Jack a couple of times about Martinson's future in Allen
and while this isn't an exact quote it is fair to say Jack's thought is
everyone in the organization should be totally focused on the upcoming
playoffs and not be distracted with contract negotiations. Jack told me
directly he supports Martinson but his preference is to deal with his
contract after the playoffs. While I disagree with that approach, I
don't have any skin in the game.
- When I asked
Steve Martinson for a comment on his future in Allen he said, "When I
met with Jack Gulati, I told him I was not going to Iowa and my first
choice is to stay in Allen. I asked for a contract extension and I was
told to wait until after the playoffs."
- Steve
Martinson is in his 25th season as a head coach in AA hockey. It wasn’t
the journey he planned after a 14-year playing career that covered
leagues from the NHL, AHL, IHL and CHL. After his playing career
was over Martinson, whose college major was in business, went to work as
a financial advisor for Smith Barney. He was coaching roller hockey in
his spare time when San Diego brought minor league hockey to town in
1995. Martinson was recruited to coach the Gulls. He won the WCHL
championship in each of his first three seasons. Ten championships later
including four straight in Allen, and with 1086 regular season wins
under his belt, Martinson is the second winningest pro hockey coach in
history.
- Martinson is the reigning ECHL General Manager
of the Year but as far as I am concerned the 2020-21 season will go down
as the best of his nine seasons in Allen as a general manger. With two
games remaining Allen could win the Western Conference or finish in
third place but it doesn’t make any difference how Allen finishes the
season or how far the Americans go in the playoffs. Martinson has
assembled a team talented enough to win the Kelly Cup and done so under
extraordinary circumstances.
- As an owner all you can
ask of a coach and general manager is to recruit a team capable of
winning a championship and that is what Steve Martinson has done
throughout his coaching career. In 25 years of coaching, he has missed
the playoffs twice and won 10 championships. In his ninth season in
Allen, Martinson has missed the playoffs just once and won the
championship four of the six times he has been in the playoffs.
-
Unlike higher leagues (AHL & NHL) where you have long term
contracts, in the ECHL teams must be rebuilt every season. You are able
to keep a few guys but basically Martinson must replace the whole team
each year. As an example, there wasn’t a single player from Allen’s
first championship (2013) on the fourth championship (2016) team.
With all of the past success here is why I think Martinson’s best year as a general manager was this season (2020-21):
1.
COVID was an issue with all teams but decimated the Americans. In
February they had so many guys out of the lineup Martinson personally
drove to Austin in the worst ice storm in memory to pick up players from
San Jose. He had to sign three players off the street to play in
Greenville. While other teams canceled games when shorthanded because of
COVID, Martinson followed protocols but found a way to play.
2.
Because of some off the ice financial issues Martinson lost the
secondary affiliation he had built with the San Jose organization. Five
players were pulled from Allen and sent to Orlando. It not only hurt at
the time but there were plans to send players for the playoffs including
some San Jose draft choices. If you look at points per game this season
for Allen the top two are players from San Jose. Joe Garreffa, who was
just selected to the All-Rookie team, averaged 1.17 points per game and
Kyle Topping averaged 1.14 points per game. Jake McGrew scored six goals
in just 11 games before being recalled to San Jose. Goalie Zack
Sawchenko played in seven games for Allen before being recalled and had a
save percentage of .926 which is the best of the five goalies that
played in Allen this season. The plan was to have these players
available to Allen during the season but for those recalled they would
return for the playoffs. When San Jose stopped dealing with Allen all
these plans went down the drain.
3. The Iowa affiliation
was also different from what was planned. I am sure COVID issues played a
role but Allen never received the numbers of players from Iowa that
were expected. The best example of this is Tyler Sheehy who was just
assigned back to Allen. The reigning ECHL Rookie of the Year and runner
up MVP started the season in Allen but was recalled by Iowa at the end
of January. Tyler was a healthy scratch for most of the last six weeks
of the Iowa season. He played in just two games in April and May. It is a
foregone conclusion the Wild are switching their ECHL affiliation from
Allen to the new franchise in Coralville, Iowa for next season. It seems
like the Wild lost interest in helping Allen once that decision was
reached. Tyler was reassigned to Allen over two weeks after Iowa finished its season. You can bet it was Martinson that made that happen.
4. It seems like a long time ago but Jesse
Mychan was the ECHL leading goal scorer when he got injured and was done
for the year. Jesse hasn’t played in two and a half months but is still
the fourth leading goal scorer on the Americans. Long term injuries to
Dyson Stevenson, Nolan Kneen, Phil Beaulieu and Colby McAuley have added
to the problems.
5. I include loss of toughness as a
separate category Martinson has had to deal with. Those hard nose
players that are physical, finish their checks and will drop the gloves
when necessary. Jesse Mychan, Dyson Stevenson, Colby McAuley, Sam
Laberge, Nolan Kneen and Zane Franklin have missed games due to injury,
Turner Ottenbreit was loaned to Iowa and never returned, Will Lochead
was loaned to Cleveland and suffered a season ending injury, Kayle
Doetzel went home and Chaz Reddekopp was one of the San Jose players
pulled from Allen. These 10 physical players will have missed a combined
total of over 400 games by seasons end.
6. Steve
Martinson is playing this season with the fact his contract with the
Americans is over in a month. No contract extension has been offered to
the second winningest pro coach in history and the reigning ECHL General
Manager of the Year. As I write this, Allen has the most wins in the
ECHL this season (43). Talk about a distraction, can you imagine not
knowing the future for yourself and your family, dealing with vacating
your apartment as playoffs take place, talking to teams looking for a
coach after their ECHL season is over.
- Any of the
issues above could derail a season but not for general manager Steve
Martinson who has used all of his experience and contacts to replace
almost an entire team. I know firsthand he has talked to many current
players, former players, agents, coaches and general managers in attempt
to improve the team. He has had to rely on rookies to a great extent
this season with a total of 26 playing thus far and 12 currently on the
roster. Most of the rookies are players that have been top scorers and
leaders on their teams.
- Chad Butcher and Steve Owre
came from the University of Alberta. Collin Shirley and Sam Ruopp came
from the University of Saskatchewan. Martinson found AHL players he
could get assigned in Brett Neumann and Terrance Amorosa. Getting Neumann assigned was a direct result of loaning goalies C.J. Motte and Frank Marotte to Bridgeport (AHL). Martinson traded for
players, some worked out and some didn’t but he kept trying to
improve the team. The trade that acquired Darian Skeoch was important to
add toughness. Signing free agents like Kelly Bent and Kris Mylarri
helped balance the roster with plenty of skill and grit. Trades, free agents, college players, talking to AHL teams, talking to players sitting at home, Martinson left no stone unturned.
- The bottom line is
Steve Martinson has had to grind all season dealing with issues that
made it difficult to compete. He has used a record number of 52 players,
breaking the previous Allen record of 46. Despite not being offered a
contract extension all he did was work to overcome the many obstacles
put in his way. He has rebuilt the team and has once again found a
roster capable of winning the Kelly Cup and that is all you can ask.
- It has to be frustrating for Steve Martinson since it appears his future in Allen comes down to how the team performs in the playoffs. He sees other coaches in the division getting contract extensions (in the playoffs and not). He has dealt with losing two affiliations for nothing related to what has happened on the ice. There was one week during the season the team lost nine top players mostly due to organizational issues outside of his control.
Whether
the Americans finish first or third in the conference and whether Allen
wins the Kelly Cup or loses in the first round this the best job Steve
Martinson has done as a general manager since arriving in Allen in 2012.
It would sure be nice to see him get the contract extension he deserves.
The 2021-22 season
is going to be a challenge for all ECHL teams. Europe is back to
recruiting large number of North American players. Because of COVID
issues most North American colleges did not play a full season and
players were given an extra year of eligibility. That means fewer
players to recruit over the summer than in the past because many will
stay in school an extra year. Steve Martinson has proven over the years
his ability to recruit. His style of play is fun for fans and great for
players looking to move up to the AHL or go overseas. Since the 2009-10
season the 100-point plateau has been reached six times in the ECHL.
Five of the six were achieved by players on Steve Martinson coached
teams.
In closing let me quote two of my colleagues
from The Sin Bin who capture the essence of the importance of Steve
Martinson to the ECHL and the Allen Americans. They say it better than I
can and they say it from afar:
"The ECHL needs Steve
Martinson and his brand of hockey. It is entertaining, develops players,
puts butts in seats, and more importantly it wins year in and year
out.".....Matthew Will
"As someone who respects Martinson and the
job he has done, it is baffling to me that he hasn't been given the
chance to set his own timetable on when he will leave. Coaches who win
your organization multiple championships and builds a program to
prominence usually get to call their own shots (see Krzyzewski,
Mike).".....Matthew Harding
