Wilf Martin
Encyclopedia
Wilfred "Wilf" Martin is a former ice hockey
player and coach. He played at the center position for the Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey
team from 1963 to 1965, including the 1963–1964 NCAA national championship team. He also served briefly as the head coach of the Michigan hockey team in 1980 before resigning for health reasons.
Martin was born in St. Paul, Alberta
, and raised in Mallaig, Alberta
. He played junior hockey for the Regina Pats
of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League
during the 1960–1961 and 1961–1962 seasons.
He subsequently attended the University of Michigan
where he played on the Michigan Wolverines ice hockey team during the 1963–1964 and 1964–1965 seasons. During the Wolverines national championship season of 1963–1964, Martin scored 34 goals and totaled 24 assists and 58 points. During the Wolverines run for the national championship in 1964, Martin scored two goals to lead the team to a 4–3 playoff victory over Michigan Tech. He was the captain of the 1964–1965 team. In two seasons of college hockey at Michigan, Martin scored 54 goals and 37 assists.
During the 1965–1966 season, Martin played for the University of Alberta
Golden Bears
and won the scoring championship of the Western Canada Intercollegiate Athletic Association Hockey League. Martin scored 19 goals and 18 assists and broke WCIAA records for goals and points.
Martin played six years of professional hockey for the Muskegon Mohawks
(1966–1967), Cleveland Barons
(1967–1968), Denver Spurs
(1968–1971), Providence Reds
(1971–1972) and Salt Lake Golden Eagles
(1971–1972). In his first two seasons at Denver, Martin scored 70 goals and tallied 74 assists and 144 points. Despite missing the first 10 games of the 1968–1969 season Martin was Denver's leading scorer with 67 points on 30 assists and 37 goals. When he retired, Martin held Denver's single-season and career records for goals, assists and points.
In 1972, Martin enrolled as a graduate student at Colorado State University
. He also served as player-coach for the Colorado State hockey team during the 1972–1973 season. The 31-year-old graduate student led the Colorado State Rams
to an 11–0–1 record in the regular season.
In the late 1970s, Martin was the rink manager at the University of Colorado
.
In March 1980, after Dan Farrell
resigned as the head coach of Michigan's hockey team, Martin was hired to replace him. After coaching the first two games of the 1980–1981 season, Martin stepped down for health reasons. He announced his resignation in late November 1980, eight months after being hired. At the time of his resignation, Martin said, "I've been having some health problems and have been away from the team for quite a while. I felt that in all fairness to the
team and the program that I should resign." Athletic director said at the time that Martin would remain with the athletic department in
a position to be determined.
Martin remained an employee of the University of Michigan athletic department. He retired in 2005.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player and coach. He played at the center position for the Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey
Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey
The Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team that represents the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Earning varsity status in 1922, the program is competing in its 90th season...
team from 1963 to 1965, including the 1963–1964 NCAA national championship team. He also served briefly as the head coach of the Michigan hockey team in 1980 before resigning for health reasons.
Martin was born in St. Paul, Alberta
St. Paul, Alberta
St. Paul is a town in east-central Alberta, Canada. It was formerly called St. Paul de Métis and was originally a French-Catholic settlement and mission to the Metis people....
, and raised in Mallaig, Alberta
Mallaig, Alberta
Mallaig is a settlement in Alberta, Canada within the County of St. Paul No. 19. It is located approximately northeast of Edmonton. Its primary industry is agriculture....
. He played junior hockey for the Regina Pats
Regina Pats
The Regina Pats are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League. The Pats are based out of Regina, Saskatchewan and the Brandt Centre is their home arena.-History:...
of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League
Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League
The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league under Hockey Canada, a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Open to North American-born players 20 years of age or younger, the SJHL's 12 teams play in two divisions: the Bauer and Sherwood conferences...
during the 1960–1961 and 1961–1962 seasons.
He subsequently attended the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
where he played on the Michigan Wolverines ice hockey team during the 1963–1964 and 1964–1965 seasons. During the Wolverines national championship season of 1963–1964, Martin scored 34 goals and totaled 24 assists and 58 points. During the Wolverines run for the national championship in 1964, Martin scored two goals to lead the team to a 4–3 playoff victory over Michigan Tech. He was the captain of the 1964–1965 team. In two seasons of college hockey at Michigan, Martin scored 54 goals and 37 assists.
During the 1965–1966 season, Martin played for the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
Golden Bears
Alberta Golden Bears
The Alberta Golden Bears are the men's athletic teams that represent the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The women's teams are known as the Alberta Pandas.-History:...
and won the scoring championship of the Western Canada Intercollegiate Athletic Association Hockey League. Martin scored 19 goals and 18 assists and broke WCIAA records for goals and points.
Martin played six years of professional hockey for the Muskegon Mohawks
Muskegon Mohawks
The Muskegon Mohawks were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the International Hockey League from 1965 to 1984. Muskegon were Turner Cup champions in 1968....
(1966–1967), Cleveland Barons
Cleveland Barons
The name Cleveland Barons has been used by three professional hockey teams and one junior team.*Cleveland Barons , the National Hockey League team that played between 1976 and 1978...
(1967–1968), Denver Spurs
Denver Spurs
The Denver Spurs were a professional ice hockey team based out of Denver, Colorado. The Spurs began play in the Western Hockey League in 1968, and played at the Denver Coliseum. The Spurs became the first professional sports team in Colorado to win a championship in 1971–72...
(1968–1971), Providence Reds
Providence Reds
The Providence Reds were a hockey team that played in the Canadian-American Hockey League between 1926–1936 and the American Hockey League from 1936 to 1977, the last season of which they played as the Rhode Island Reds. The team won the Calder Cup in 1938, 1940, 1949, and 1956...
(1971–1972) and Salt Lake Golden Eagles
Salt Lake Golden Eagles
The Salt Lake Golden Eagles were a minor professional hockey team based in Salt Lake City, Utah from 1969 to 1994.They played in the Western Hockey League from 1969 to 1974, the Central Hockey League from 1974 to 1984 and the International Hockey League from 1984 to 1994...
(1971–1972). In his first two seasons at Denver, Martin scored 70 goals and tallied 74 assists and 144 points. Despite missing the first 10 games of the 1968–1969 season Martin was Denver's leading scorer with 67 points on 30 assists and 37 goals. When he retired, Martin held Denver's single-season and career records for goals, assists and points.
In 1972, Martin enrolled as a graduate student at Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
. He also served as player-coach for the Colorado State hockey team during the 1972–1973 season. The 31-year-old graduate student led the Colorado State Rams
Colorado State Rams
Colorado State University competes in 16 sponsored intercollegiate sports, including 10 for women and six for men...
to an 11–0–1 record in the regular season.
In the late 1970s, Martin was the rink manager at the University of Colorado
University of Colorado
The University of Colorado system is a system of public universities in Colorado consisting of three universities in four campuses: University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, and University of Colorado Denver in downtown Denver and at the Anschutz Medical Campus in...
.
In March 1980, after Dan Farrell
Dan Farrell
Daniel T. "Dan" Farrell is a former ice hockey player and coach. He played for the Michigan Tech Huskies men's ice hockey team from 1957-1960 and was the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey team from 1973 to 1980. Farrell later had a career in the financial services and mineral...
resigned as the head coach of Michigan's hockey team, Martin was hired to replace him. After coaching the first two games of the 1980–1981 season, Martin stepped down for health reasons. He announced his resignation in late November 1980, eight months after being hired. At the time of his resignation, Martin said, "I've been having some health problems and have been away from the team for quite a while. I felt that in all fairness to the
team and the program that I should resign." Athletic director said at the time that Martin would remain with the athletic department in
a position to be determined.
Martin remained an employee of the University of Michigan athletic department. He retired in 2005.