Martel Riding Out Highs And Lows Of His Third Pro Season
I'm really proud of what I'm doing this year. I think when I got called up, I deserved it. I played really well up there. When I came down, I had two bad games but after that I was doing really well. The goals were just not coming. At some point, you can't score every game. I might not score for another 25 games, but at least I'm going to play as hard as I can and bring some shots to the net. Just try to help this team win, and that's my role. I'm bringing a lot of energy. It's not always about points. I think I'm playing really good hockey right now. - Forward Danick Martel, Lehigh Valley Phantoms
ALLENTOWN - Before January 13th's game against the Hershey Bears, Lehigh Valley Phantoms forward Danick Martel was still riding the high of his breakthrough to the NHL back in late November - his first call up to the Philadelphia Flyers, his NHL debut on November 22nd and the first four NHL games of his career.
"I think I played my best hockey in my life. I couldn't play better than that," Martel recalled of his first NHL action earlier this season. "I had a lot of chances, I blocked a lot of shots. I need to just keep going and improve my game, and see what happens next."
He went as far to say that he believed his first NHL stint was such a success that it might've opened some eyes among the Flyers' staff/management.
"I think I did," Martel said when asked if he thought he opened the eyes of the NHL staff and GM Ron Hextall. "If I did not, I opened eyes from other teams because I played great hockey when I was up there."
With hindsight being 20-20, to say the highest of highs for Martel would be soon followed by the lowest of lows would be an understatement.
Upon returning to Lehigh Valley in the beginning of December, Martel actually went goalless in his first six games back in the AHL with the Phantoms. Adjusting to the speed of the game, among other things, took him some time to get back into the swing of things.
"It was a really different game when I came back," Martel said after a game in Bridgeport."
It didn't take long for Martel to get back in the goal-scoring column. After his 1-on-1 interview with Inside AHL Hockey back in mid-December, Martel tallied three goals in a four-game span leading up to the team's holiday break.
Some more good news followed Martel to begin the 2018 calendar year, as he was named to the Atlantic Division's 2018 AHL All-Star Classic roster on January 4th for the annual event being held in Utica at the end of the month.
Then, the goal scoring drought for Martel returned.
"I was playing well. I had my chances, it just was not going in," Martel explained. "For me right now, it's just continue to play hard and see what happens."
Despite continuing to play with speed, tenacity and a sense of urgency Martel went goalless in seven straight games including January 13th's contest which ended early for him after a high hit from Colby Williams left him motionless on his stomach in the neutral zone at the PPL Center.
It was later revealed by Inside AHL Hockey that Martel suffered a broken jaw and underwent surgery the following morning, meaning he was going to be out of action long term.
Fast forward five weeks, and he was already making his return to game action Friday night in Springfield. And what a return it was.
Despite being severely outplayed in the first period, Martel turned the tides for the Phantoms Friday night - opening the scoring in his return from injury on one of the most fortunate bounces you'll see all season. Perhaps, a sign from the hockey gods after an unfortunate injury.
It didn't take long for Martel to get right back to playing the way he has been this season. Feisty, energetic and passionate.
"I might have been scared for the last month that I wouldn't play the same way," Martel said after his first game back on home ice since the January 13th hit. "I think after getting hit and seeing what happens. I feel good. Get hit instead of not seeing it like I got hit the last time. But no, I'm not scared. I'll play like that."
Martel added a second goal in the Phantoms' 8-2 win, before sitting out Saturday night's home game as to ease him back into the lineup during the team's three-game weekend.
Sunday, Martel wasted no time getting to the front of the net and it was drawing the ire of his opponent.
"They pulled twice on my visor to pull me down. I think that's a cheap shot. You don't have to do that," Martel explained to Inside AHL Hockey after Sunday's game. "You can punch me if you want, do whatever you want but if you break my helmet and you just pull on my visor that's cheap, so I told the ref that that's not right. If he wants to do that, then I have to protect myself even better."
In his third season at the pro level, the goal scoring acumen at the AHL level has been there since his rookie season with the Phantoms in 2015-16. His next goal will mark his 20th this season and make it a third straight year that Martel has reached the 20-goal plateau with Lehigh Valley.
It's what Martel has learned to consistently do when the puck is not on his stick that has allowed him to take his game to another level this year despite missing the 12 games with the broken jaw.
"He's fearless," head coach Scott Gordon said of Martel. "We're obviously glad to have him back. To be able to put in a 19-goal scorer is a good substitution for us."
Still, Martel isn't letting his early-season success get to his head or change the way he's going to play.
"Everyone is playing well right now. So taking back a spot, on say, the power play - right now, I don't have to play on the power play. It's working really good," Martel said. "I just need to be focused on five-on-five, and on five-on-five I'm bringing chances. I'm playing my role, and see what happens."
