Vancouver Warriors’ forward Ryan Martel has grown a lot this season.
Every athlete strives for consistency. Amid the season’s ups and downs, the 26-year-old forward found his way back to the offensive production he expects.
Last season, he racked up 73 points (34G, 39A) and was the Warriors’ third leading scorer. Coming off a career season last year, he came into this season holding himself to a different standard.
Martel put a lot of pressure on himself to be one of the main contributors on the left side but admits with that mindset, he was gripping his stick a bit too tight.
“I always knew once I got a few to go, the floodgates would open for me. Even last year, most of my goals came in the last half of the season, so kind of similar to this year as I’m starting to turn it up a bit,” Martel said.
“Having that confidence from Curt is definitely a little boost as well. As he said, I was playing a little perimeter at the start of the year, and honestly, I went back and watched some of the games last year, and that’s not what I did at all. These last three games, I’ve been on the inside 80% of the time.”
He stuck to his process and practice routine, focusing on getting back to his interior game and executing. He watched game film and made adjustments accordingly.
Tied again as Ryan Martel gets free in front! The NLL Saturday Showcase is electric ⚡
Catch the crazy end of this one: ESPN+ (https://t.co/OtQNR6neZG), TSN+, NLL+ pic.twitter.com/RKf4cUXrBe
— NLL (@NLL) March 30, 2025
At 5’10”, 194 pounds, Martel is a competitor and is tough and physical in the middle of the floor. He’s always in the goalies’ faces and gets in the middle of the crease. Warriors’ General Manager and Head Coach Curt Malawsky says Martel’s skills on the turf are important for team success.
“He catches well in traffic and he’s super strong – he finishes very high in the strength testing in training camp and keeps himself in excellent shape. He doesn’t play cautious, and he’s not worried about where the slides are coming from, or where the matchup might be. He’s just looking to get the ball and tracks it in the air and is willing to take a hit to make a play,” Malawsky said.
“He’s very good at the two-man game and very good at finding backs. He creates a lot of separation because he’s got a great first step, and he’s great at getting across the far post, because he’s got good patience inside.”
In addition to Malawsky’s confidence, Martel has the confidence of his teammates. Through a couple tough games at the start of the season, Martel was reassured by the forward group that he was on the right track because he was still able to get shots on net. Marty says right-handed forward Keegan Bal helped him stay the course each game.
“Baller is definitely a role model to a lot of guys on the team and a lot of guys on the offence, we all look to him. He has this calm presence on the offence, and even if things aren’t going our way, he’s not freaking out, or he doesn’t shut down and turn off. He’s building us up, and saying, ‘Keep going, it’ll come,’” he said.
Martel was a healthy scratch against Las Vegas and Saskatchewan this season, Malawsky giving him a reset just after the halfway point in the season. Since then, over the last four games, Martel has had 18 points (9G, 7A). His total for the season is 35 points (13G, 22A) in 13 games.
He wants to prove that he can get hard-earned goals every night and Malawsky believes Martel’s energy gets the rest of the team fired up playing a hard-nosed game and sacrificing his body for the team.
“I really do think that’s contagious for our whole team, not just on the front end, but I think throughout everybody else. It’s something that really translates well, and something that the guys rally around. They’re thinking, ‘If he’s doing it, I’m doing it,’” Malawsky said.
While Martel puts in consistent work every week, he thought changing his stick might help him get back to his game.
He used a new stick through the first five games of the season before going back to using his stick from last year – a stick that had 34 quality NLL goals in it.
“I brought the blue head back and that’s kind of been my success, I guess,” Marty laughed.
“I am a very superstitious person, so I thought I’d bring back the same blue one I was using. I haven’t had to touch the strings in a year and a half – I put super glue in it to keep it together – and it’s been good for me.”
#96 had the hot stick all night. Watch Martel cash in 4 times for the @VanWarriors! 💥💥💥💥 pic.twitter.com/gxi1zGk5t3
— NLL (@NLL) March 23, 2025
Martel is trying to help keep the season going as long as possible.
The Aldergrove native said an important part of changing his mindset was him making sure he was having fun every game. He said that was easy because practices and games are the best part of his week, and he’s enjoyed bonding with the boys on the road.
“I love being on the road with the guys. Honestly, I love our dressing room so much that it makes it so fun showing up every weekend, and that also makes you want to give everything you have for the guys in the room; whether that’s taking shots to the head or whatnot, I’d do anything for these guys,” Martel said.
Ryan Martel Fan Club
Just like he ignites his teammates, Marty’s fans get fired up and they love to see him score.
His tough play has resonated with fans, and after his stellar season last year, Martel’s fan club has grown. At home games you can see them standing with signs in the party zone, but some of them have become staunch Martel fans through random circumstances.
The first time Martel spotted his new fan group in the party zone he gave his supporters a wink through the glass and got to meet them at an autograph signing on the turf after the game.
One of the fans plays for the New Westminster Salmonbellies and has Salmonbellies bumper sticker. While driving in White Rock, the group of friends cut in front of a truck in traffic. The driver of the truck noticed the bumper sticker and pulled up beside the vehicle and mentioned Ryan Martel plays for the Salmonbellies in the WLA and that Marty would beat them up for cutting him off in traffic.
“To this day I have no idea who that was. I don’t have a friend in White Rock who drives a truck. I wish I knew who it was. I’ve tried to ask around, but I don’t even have many friends that have trucks, period,” Martel said.
Sometimes, the Martel fan club changes the photos on their signs that they find on Martel’s social media accounts. They stand at the glass and hold the sign in the party zone the entire 60 minutes and Martel says it’s fun to see.
“I appreciate the support. I love it, it fires me up and I’ll keep trying to score for them,” Martel said.
