Photo credit: Steve Dunsmoor

By Regan Bartel

Martin and Huska: Young but ambitious

40 and Fired Up

Jul 14, 2025 | 6:00 AM

When Derrick Martin was named head coach of the Kelowna Rockets, a natural question popped up: How does he stack up, age-wise? He’s not the youngest in team history — that title belongs to Ryan Huska — but Martin brings his own strengths to the job.

Huska was just 32 when he took over in 2007. There were doubts. He was young, untested, and not the type to shout from the bench. Some wondered if he had enough fire. But that calm, composed style worked. Two years later, he guided the Rockets to a WHL Championship and a trip to the Memorial Cup. He remains the only Rockets coach to land an NHL head coaching job later.

Martin shares that same demeanor. He’s demanding, but not a massive yeller. Not animated. And like Huska, he steps into the job as a young father, balancing family life with the grind of a WHL season. That perspective brings steadiness. Players notice.

Martin’s path was different, but no less focused. He climbed the ladder as an assistant and then interim coach, earning trust along the way. His strengths, communication, development, and structure, are exactly what today’s junior game calls for.

With the 2026 Memorial Cup coming to Kelowna, the pressure is on. This is Martin’s first full season as head coach. The opportunity is huge: lead a talented group deep, and make a mark. He may not be breaking age records, but the stage is just as big as the one Huska once faced.

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The Rockets have hired coaches of all ages. Huska at 32. Adam Foote at 47. Kris Mallette at 41. Now Martin, at 40, steps in with his own timing, and in a season that matters more than most.

There’s even a full-circle twist: Don Hay, now on staff with Martin, once coached Huska in Kamloops. Years later, Hay’s experience adds depth to a bench that blends old-school wisdom with a modern touch.

No, Martin is not the youngest. But that’s no longer the story. The real question is whether he can take a team loaded with potential, and a guaranteed Memorial Cup berth, and turn it into something unforgettable.

If Huska’s run taught us anything, it’s that coaching success isn’t about volume or flash. It’s about preparation, connection, and leadership.

Martin has all of that.

Now, with the eyes of the junior hockey world soon turning to Kelowna, he has the chance to write his own legacy.