Red Light Special: Meet Wheeling’s Jordan Martel
If you have ever been to a Wheeling Nailers game, fans often hear “Red Light Special” when Jordan Martel lights up the scoreboard with a goal, or two. Martel is known for his goal scoring and play making ability. Martel took the time to sit down with Olde City Sports Network to talk about his early days, an earned PTO in the AHL, and trades.
Before Martel played pro hockey, he played in QMJHL with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar for four seasons. He dressed in 253 games with Drakkar and tallied 98 goals and 106 assists. After playing in the QMJHL, Martel went on to play for University of Quebec-Trois-Rivieres for three seasons, one of which was not played. He played in 38 games and notched 20 goals and 14 assists during the two seasons played. Martel speaks on how he got his start in hockey and how he ultimately fell in love with the sport. “I think I was probably six years old, I'd say. My dad played a little bit. I don't remember how I got into it, but I just started taking skating classes, and then got into it and ended up falling in love with it. I don't remember exactly what the story is. My parents have been really supportive and they've been with me the whole time. They're still right behind me and they support this and support me. I'm really grateful for that.”
Thus far in Martel’s professional career, he has played on three ECHL teams. He played 15 games for the Fort Wayne Komets, 61 games for the Utah Grizzlies, and now 89 games for the Wheeling Nailers. That means three different coaching styles, three different locations, and three different sets of teammates. “I mean you always try to learn. Every time you get frustrated and you get a new coach. I'd say everywhere you go, I think you gotta try to learn and get as much as being a sponge, I'd say, like try to get as much as possible out of every culture and every opulence. It's really important.”
On December 19th, 2024, it was announced that Martel was signed to a PTO with the AHL Chicago Wolves. Martel spent a total of 11 games with Chicago and tallied four goals within those 11 games. He speaks on what the difference is like from the ECHL to the AHL. “I'd say it's a lot of the execution, like the pace is faster because the passes are run on tape. The guys are faster. I’d say it's really different, I see the caliber. I got used to it pretty quick. I didn’t see myself being out of place and I liked being there, so I think I felt right in my place.”
Before the start of every season, players are invited to AHL training camps. This can get the players a look at organizations that are within their ECHL affiliate that they are signed with, or outside of it. In the 2024-2025 training camp season, Martel was invited and participated in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL affiliate of the Wheeling Nailers and Pittsburgh Penguins. “It was really good. We have a really good organization, they treated their players really well. I think it's always a question of numbers up there too. Like, I think I did the best I could and at the end of the day they decided to send me down, but it was a really good experience and I learned I learned going up there and coming back and I tried to do my best to try to and then earning the PTO was just a continuity of my work at the training camp and then I started this season, so it was a really good experience.”
No player ever wants to be traded, but when a trade happens, they understand it’s part of the business. Martel has been traded twice in his career. He was traded from the Fort Wayne Komets to the Utah Grizzlies on December 15th, 2022. In December of 2023, he was traded from the Utah Grizzlies to the Wheeling Nailers. “I'd say it's always a shock when you get traded. I was excited. I knew Mitch [Giguere] too, and I knew they had a really good group of guys here. I knew a couple of the guys here, so I didn’t feel out of place, I felt kind of at home. I get closer to home. I mean, it's always a shock. I don't I don't remember how I exactly reacted but it was a blessing, honestly to come here and work with Derek. I've enjoyed a lot of working with him and he's been great to me. I'm grateful for being here.”
The off-season is a time for players to work on skills that they can strengthen and to prepare for the upcoming season and training camps. Martel talks about what his off-season training routine consists of. “I'm working out probably almost every day. I say like five or six days a week and I'm going on the ice, probably three to four times a week during the summer and then closer to training camp, I go on the ice almost like five times a week.”
Martel is currently with the Wheeling Nailers. He has dressed in 44 games for the Nailers and Head Coach Derek Army. Martel has tallied 11 goals and 27 assists during the course of the season thus far.
-Samantha Wismer/ Olde City Sports Network
-Photo Credits/ Samantha Wismer (photo 1) & Wheeling Nailers