The Florida Panthers selected Hunter St. Martin in the sixth round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft at Sphere in Las Vegas.
During his draft season, the smooth-skating left wing produced 24 goals and 28 assists in 68 regular season games for the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League. His 52 points were a 30-point improvement over his first full season in the league.
In the WHL playoffs, St. Martin scored a goal and added four assists as the Tigers were ousted in five games in the opening round by the Red Deer Rebels.
Developing instant chemistry with 2023 second-rounder Gracyn Sawchyn, St. Martin made a big impact at development camp and the 2024 Rookie Showcase in Nashville, scoring in all three games as the Panthers went 1-2, serving notice that he was a prospect worth keeping an eye on.
In an NHL exhibition game on September 28, St. Martin’s rebound created Jesper Boqvist’s game-winning overtime goal in a 5-4 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.
After a torrid start to the 2024-25 season that saw St. Martin pour in seven goals in Medicine Hat’s first eight games, the Panthers signed him to a three-year, entry-level contract on October 25.
St. Martin finished the year tied for tenth in the league in goal scoring with 39, and was second to potential first overall pick in 2026, Gavin McKenna on the Tigers in that category. He added 20 assists to finish the campaign with 59 points, a modest seven-point jump from the season prior.
The postseason saw St Martin take it up a notch, amassing seven goals and ten assists in 18 games as Medicine Hat stormed its way to the league championship, dropping just two games along the way.
At the Memorial Cup, St. Martin scored the game-winning goal and had an assist in the Tigers tournament-opening round robin game against host Rimouski. He was held off the score sheet in the next three games as Medicine Hat fell 4-1 to London in the final.
St. Martin made a second appearance a development camp this summer. Skating on a line with Sawchyn and newcomer Anton Lundmark, he was again one of the more dangerous players on the ice in the closing scrimmage.
A versatile player who is a fit with both skill players and grinders, St. Martin, who already boasts an NHL-caliber shot, is expected to make the jump to the Charlotte Checkers this season.