Ex-NHL goalie Spencer Martin's KHL journey ends abruptly. After signing with CSKA Moscow, his tenure was cut short amidst team struggles and the performance a younger netminder.
Canadian goaltender Spencer Martin, 30, has been released by CSKA Moscow, the KHL club announced on Tuesday.
A former NHLer, Martin signed with CSKA in the off-season and was in the midst of his first season outside of North America.
Through CSKA’s first 25 games of the season, Martin split goaltending duties almost completely down the middle with 22-year-old New York Islanders prospect Dmitri Gazmin, but Gazmin’s numbers were slightly better. In 14 appearances, Martin had a goals-against average of 2.69, a save percentage of .905 and two shutouts, while Gazmin’s numbers are 1.95, .933 and two shutouts in 13 appearances.
Martin has not dressed for a game since Nov. 3. The previous day, CSKA had acquired goaltender Ilya Samsonov in a trade with Salavat Yulaev Ufa.
CSKA currently sits ninth in the KHL’s 11-team Western Conference with 26 points in 25 games.
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Originally from Oakville, Ont., Martin played junior hockey for the Mississauga Steelheads in the OHL and was taken in the third round, 60th overall, by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
Between 2016 and 2025, Martin played 66 NHL games for the Avalanche, Vancouver Canucks, Columbus Blue Jackets and Carolina Hurricanes, compiling a record of 24-30-8 with a goals-against average of 3.31, a save percentage of .833 and one shutout.
Martin played 35 of his NHL games with Vancouver, starting with a brilliant six-game stint at the end of the 2021-22 season in which he posted a 1.74 goals-against average and .950 save percentage. His solid goaltending continued into the start of the following season; however, an injury to Thatcher Demko in early December forced Martin into the starting role, and his play suffered. Eventually, Collin Delia started getting the majority of work, and when Demko finally returned, Martin was sent back to the AHL.
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