Newest Silvertip Martin will be ‘right in the mix’

EVERETT — Brycen Martin remembers Oct. 20, 2013, because that’s the night the lights went out at Xfinity Arena.

More precisely the lights went out four times, because that was the number of goals scored by the Everett Silvertips en route to a 4-1 victory over a Swift Current Broncos team that included a then-17-year-old Martin.

Now the star defenseman will have only positive associations with the blackened arena as Martin skated his first practice with the Silvertips Tuesday since being traded to Everett from the Saskatoon Blades.

“It’s a change going from cold Saskatoon to the nice United States,” said Martin, who arrived in time for Tuesday’s afternoon skate. “It’s a bit of a whirlwind of change, but they’ve all been so welcoming and it’s nice to be here.”

Everett’s Monday acquisition of the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Calgary native reverberated across the WHL. A third-round pick of Buffalo during the 2014 NHL draft, Martin is an offensive-minded blue liner who will add depth to the Tips defense. He had three goals and 21 assists in 25 games with Saskatoon this season.

Martin hadn’t been told whether or not he would play tonight, but the defense is a little thin with Kevin Davis currently out and listed as week-to-week with an upper body injury.

“I would say there is a much (greater) likelihood that he’ll play than not play,” Everett head coach Kevin Constantine said of Martin. “He was able to get a practice in and we’ve got to get him going. So I think most likely he’ll be in.”

Martin wasn’t entirely surprised when he was told he was traded. He was dealt from Swift Current to Saskatoon in the middle of last season to serve in a mentoring role for a rebuilding Blades team. Saskatoon finished 19-49-2-2 last season and is 10-12-3-0 this season.

The Broncos reached the playoffs in his two full seasons in Swift Current, but did not advance past the first round either year.

“I’ve played on rebuilding teams my entire career, so it’s nice to be on a team that’s ready to roll and is looking forward to this year rather than (next year),” Martin said. “I’m excited and (today) should be good.”

The Silvertips play host to the Tri-City Americans at 7 p.m. tonight at Xfinity Arena. If Martin makes his debut the question becomes how he will be used by the Everett coaching staff.

“As far as his role, he’s been in the league a while,” Constantine said. “He’s played in all situations and I can’t imagine that we won’t be using him in all situations. So he’ll be right in the mix with everything we’re doing.”

Tonight is the second straight Wednesday night matchup between the Silvertips and Americans. Everett (14-7-0-2, 30 points) has won three straight and dealt Tri-City a 5-0 defeat last week at Xfinity Arena.

The Americans (10-16-1-0, 21 points) are coming off a 6-4 defeat to Spokane on Saturday.

Leading scorer Parker Bowles (15 goals, 19 assists) and Jordan Topping (11 goals, 12 assists) are the Americans’ top offensive performers. Evan Sarthou (9-15-1-0, 3.82 goals-against average, .879 save percentage) and Nicholas Sanders (1-1-0-0, 3.42 GAA, .878 save percentage) are the two goaltenders for Tri-City.

Juulsen invited to Team Canada camp

Everett defenseman Noah Juulsen was one of 30 invitees to Hockey Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp that will be held Dec. 10-14 in Etobicoke, Ontario.

The camp will determined Team Canada’s 22-man roster by Dec. 20 for the IIHF U-20 World Junior Championship scheduled for Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Helsinki, Finland.

Hart earns more CHL, WHL honors

Everett goaltender Carter Hart was named the CHL Goaltender of the Week and the WHL Goaltender of the Month Tuesday, one day after he was named the WHL Goaltender of the Week.

Hart was 3-0-0-0 last week with a 0.33 GAA and a save percentage of .985. For the month of November he was 9-2-0-1 with a 1.16 GAA, a .951 save percentage and four shutouts.

It’s the second CHL award in Hart’s career and the first time he has been named WHL goaltender of the month.

For the latest Silvertips news follow Jesse Geleynse on Twitter @jessegeleynse.