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How farm rehab is helping Predators' Brady Martin recover from difficult junior season
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- How farm rehab is helping Predators' Brady Martin recover from difficult junior season
There are many ways to rehab an injured shoulder at Brady Martin's family farm in Ontario.
Throw old tires into a pit silo. Haul dairy cow feed. Carry farm equipment from one barn to the next.
Farm life is practical, if nothing else.
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And it's where Martin, the Nashville Predators ' top pick in 2025, has returned after finishing his third junior season in Sault Ste. Marie.
"Chopping, planting, hauling, all that stuff," Martin told The Tennessean on May 26. "Just getting ready for the summer work."
Summer work for Martin doesn't mean hockey, at least not yet. Brady's father, Terry, and mother Sheryl aren't willing to let him dodge farm chores. After he puts his hours in at the Martin farm, he'll be at Predators development camp in early July and then, hopefully, the 2026 World Junior Showcase in Windsor, Ontario.
Until then, it's lifting, throwing, carrying and planting — all of which help rehab his shoulder.
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"(The shoulder) feels pretty good now. It still bugs me a bit sometimes, but it's healing up good," Martin said.
Martin suffered a serious shoulder injury during Canada's semifinal game Jan. 4 against Czechia at the 2025 World Junior Championships. The injury ended an impressive run at the tournament, where he had eight points in six games.
It also delayed his return to the OHL in January and was a significant setback in what was supposed to be a dominant junior season for Martin.
"When you sit out for that long, it's tough to get back in the swing of things," Martin said. "I came back and played and wasn't feeling 100% . . . the second half of the season was definitely a battle for me."
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Brady Martin's injury and junior hockey adjustments
When the Predators selected Martin at No. 5 overall in June 2025, it followed a breakout season with the Soo Greyhounds in the OHL. He scored 33 goals and added 39 assists in 57 games, rocketing into the top-10 in most mock drafts. It was a bit of a surprise Nashville took him, but it made sense given his profile: a hard-hitting, cement-wall center with flashy puck skill and an incredible work ethic.
Martin was a surprise again by making the Predators out of training camp. He made his NHL debut on opening night, then scored his first point in his second game. He was sent back to the OHL after three games, and most expected another dominant junior hockey season.
That's not exactly how it played out.
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He was solid to begin the season, with five goals and 11 assists in his first 13 games. Then he was arguably Canada's most important player through six games at the world juniors.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - DECEMBER 31: Brady Martin #28 of team Canada celebrates his goal against the Finland in the first period of a Group B stage game during the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship at Mariucci Arena on December 31, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brad Rempel/Getty Images)
But the shoulder injury — suffered while trying to lay a hard check on Czechia's Matyas Man — derailed everything. He missed nearly two months of hockey, and when he came back, he just wasn't the same.
"I play a physical game, that's why I was drafted where I was. So it's tough to stay that physical with (an injury)," Martin said.
Lacking his usual punch, his production dipped. He scored eight points in his final 11 games, dropping his season total to an even point-per-game (24 points in 24 games). He managed 10 points in 10 playoff games, but it wasn't enough — the Greyhounds lost in five games to the Kitchener Rangers in the second round of the OHL playoffs.
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Martin, who was the Greyhounds' captain this season, expected more of himself.
"It's hard when you go from playing with top talent in the NHL and the world juniors, then you come back (to the OHL)," he said. "We had an all-star team for Team Canada, but obviously your club team isn't going to be as strong. For me, I've got to adjust and be able to adapt more."
When his OHL season ended, Martin was added to the Milwaukee Admirals ahead of their AHL playoff run. He even scored his first pro goal in his debut with the Admirals. But then their season ended two games later in a series loss to Manitoba.
Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg (9) celebrates his goal against the Utah Mammoth with center Brady Martin (44) during the first period at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.
Martin said it was a good experience, but now he's focused on getting his body ready for training camp in the fall. He still remembers playing against NHL talent in October, an experience that prompted a memorable (and honest) self-assessment:
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"Everyone's a lot stronger than me, I think I've got to hit the gym," he said after the Predators' 2-1 win on Oct. 9.
Entering the league at 6-foot, 187 pounds, Martin says he has been working on adding muscle. Though the shoulder injury delayed his strength training, he thinks that by the time training camp hits, he'll be strong enough (and healthy enough) to earn another spot on the Predators' roster.
Until then, there's plenty of rehab work on the farm.
"It's getting hot (in Ontario), so that helps with the workout for sure," Martin said.
Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex at jdaugherty@gannett.com . Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1 . Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds .
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Predators' Brady Martin recovering from difficult season with farm rehab
