Steve Martinson Q & A, June Critical Dates, Playoff Update and More

I had a chance to ask Coach Martinson a few questions as he was packing up all of the family "stuff" to head back to their home in Rockford, IL, for the summer. He has a big pickup and an enclosed trailer, which he told me are both packed to the gills. He will leave tomorrow on the long drive, but there is no doubt that the 14+ hour drive will also be a recruiting trip, with lots of phone time. 


Q: Do you have any future consideration trades either coming or going that you have to satisfy by the June 20 deadline?

A: No, those are all taken care of.

 

 

Q: How would you assess the season, given the slow start at the beginning and then your 12-game point streak to end the season to finish in second place?

A: I wasn't anticipating the slow start. I thought we were gonna come out of the gate flying, to be honest with you. It just took the guys a while to get going. I hadn't coached most of the players before. And then you're putting a new group of guys together. As a team, we got into better shape after a few weeks. There was disappointment in the slow start, but the end of the season was great. It's always better to have a strong finish and be playing your best hockey going into the playoffs.



 

Q: Will your experience this season change your approach to training camp next season?

A: Training camp will be more competitive next season. Everybody coming back will know that you've got to show up in shape at their target weight. We will have more guys attending NHL/AHL camps. Those guys are on the ice for a month ahead of the guys who only come to our camp. 



 

Q: What are your thoughts on the playoff loss to Kansas City?

A: Well, that was pretty painful. We end up getting swept, but three games were one-goal games in the third period. Game three was really frustrating. We killed off a 5-on-3 penalty and then scored 12 seconds later to tie the game 4-4. A broken stick, and they take the lead right back 30 seconds later. Kansas City is really good. I can't say anything other than it was just an extremely frustrating series.

 

 

Q: How will recruitment for next year be different, given the stronger relationship with Ottawa, and the fact that you had your affiliate identified so early?

A: It is night and day. I have already got guys going to AHL training camp. Last year, by the time I got training camp spots, most of the top rookies were already signed. I was lucky that Anania and Sedley had waited to see if they would get AHL deals and were still available. It worked out well that we got those guys. With the affiliation already decided, I am recruiting now, which is a big advantage.

 

 

 

Q: You were the top offensive team in the league this season. How much of a help will that be in recruiting?

 

A: It is immeasurable how important that is. Players looking to move up know that points get you noticed, and in our system they will have the opportunity to do that. But just as important is how you play without the puck, and that is also important in our system.  When you are the #1 offensive team, you have players and agents calling all summer.     

OTHER COMMENTS

 

- Even though the playoffs are still going on, critical dates are coming up fast. The first day to sign players for 2026-27 is less than a month away: Here are the June critical dates: 

 

June 8 - Protected list due

June 20 - Future considerations deadline

June 22 - Season-ending rosters due

June 23 - First day to sign players for 2026-27

 

 

 

- Kansas City beat Fort Wayne 4-2 last night to take a 3-1 lead in that series. Game five isn't until Sunday in Fort Wayne. In the other Conference Finals series, Florida leads 2-0 with game three tonight in Wheeling. Almost everyone had Kansas City and Florida meeting in the Kelly Cup finals, and that matchup is still on track. 

 

 

  

- Despite playing in only nine playoff games (some have played 15 games), Danny Katic and Brayden Watts are still at the top of the playoff leaderboard.

 

 Katic is #6 in points (13) and #6 in goals (6). He is #1 in points per game (more than 2 games) at 1.44.

Watts is #8 in assists (8) and #9 in points (12). He is #2 in points per game at 1.33. 

 

 

 

DID YOU KNOW:  Here are the ECHL Stats posts from the last two days:

 

Here is a breakdown of the ECHL Kelly Cup final four rosters:

 

Florida

8 -  NHL/AHL contracted players (0 NHL, 8 AHL)

4 - Veterans

2 - Rookies

 

Fort Wayne

9 - NHL/AHL contracted players (4 NHL, 5 AHL)

4 - Veterans

7 -  Rookies

 

Kansas City

7 - NHL/AHL contracted players (0 NHL, 7 AHL)

2 - Veterans

7 - Rookies

 

Wheeling

14 - NHL/AHL contracted players (3 NHL, 11 AHL)

1 - Veteran

14 - Rookies

 

 

- Of the four remaining ECHL playoff teams (FLA, FW, KC, WHL), only Wheeling still has an affiliate in the postseason. Its AHL affiliate, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, is in the AHL Conference finals. None of the ECHL final four has an NHL affiliate still playing.