Jasmine Martinez, a Holmesburg resident and senior at Neumann University, on Thursday night announced the Flyers’ first draft pick (No. 5 overall) during ESPN’s national coverage of the NHL Draft.
The draft is taking place at the Bell Centre in Montreal. Jasmine is being joined by her mother, Jennifer, in Montreal.
Martinez announced that the Flyers had selected Cutter Gauthier, a center/wing who will play at Boston College.
Martinez, who attended New Foundations Charter High School, is an Ed Snider Youth Hockey Goals & Assists Scholar. The award covers tuition, room and board at Neumann, where she has been successful both academically and on the university’s NCAA women’s ice hockey team. She will graduate early, in December 2022, with a degree in sport management and is already taking graduate courses in Neumann’s Sport Business master’s degree program.
She has participated in community service programs during college, including a meeting with students from Chester’s Drexel Neumann Academy in February to encourage them to attend college and earn a degree.
Before the draft, she said, “As a student-athlete studying and preparing to enter the sports industry, this is an amazing opportunity for me to expand on my experiences and build further connections. I am very excited to see what the future holds for me. I am grateful to the Philadelphia Flyers for this incredible opportunity and to Ed Snider Youth Hockey & EducationTM for the many opportunities it has provided my family and me. I am psyched to be a part of the NHL draft this year and represent the Flyers, Snider and the city of Philadelphia.”
According to Scott Tharp, president and CEO of Snider Hockey, Martinez has been enrolled in Snider programs for 14 years (since age 7) and currently serves as a mentor and coach to students enrolled in Snider Youth Hockey summer camps. She represented Snider programs on the ice at the 2010 Winter Classic in Boston as well as in international competition in Europe as a member of the USA Women’s Ball Hockey team.
“We’re grateful to the Philadelphia Flyers for the opportunity to include Jasmine and to spotlight Ed Snider’s legacy,” Tharp said. “Ed founded this organization with a mission to create opportunities for the under-resourced youth of Philadelphia to prosper in life, and young people like Jasmine are shining examples of our success.”
