An international goaltending sensation before she ever stepped on the ice of the DECC, Kim Martin has been named to the IIHF Hall of Fame Class of 2025.

 

A native of Stockholm, Sweden, Martin was a Swedish Olympic legend fresh off a massive upset of the U.S. in the 2006 Olympics when she arrived on campus in the fall of 2006. After splitting time with All-American Riitta Schaublin in net over the 2006-07 season, earning both All-WCHA Second Team and WCHA All-Rookie honors, Martin and the Bulldogs finished with a 2007 NCAA Runner-Up finish in Lake Placid that season.

 

Martin then had one of the best seasons by a goaltender in NCAA history in 2007-08, leading UMD to a 31-4-1 record and not only the 2008 NCAA title at the DECC, but also helped the Bulldogs become 2008 WCHA Tournament and WCHA regular season champions. Named a 2007-08 First Team All-American, Martin also picked up All-WCHA First Team honors, was named to 2008 All-WCHA Tournament Team and was named a Patty Kazmaier Top-3 finalist. Ironically, Martin bookend the Kazmaier ceremony during the 2008 NCAA Frozen Four in Duluth with two out of this world performances – starting with a 41 save effort against the University of New Hampshire on March 20, 2008  in the semifinals, that despite the Bulldogs being outshot 43-15, UMD advanced to the NCAA title tilt with a 3-2 win on the back of Martin's play. The netminder then shut out the defending national champion University of Wisconsin 4-0 in the NCAA championship game, and was named not only to the 2008 NCAA Frozen Four Tournament Team, but the Most Outstanding Player of the entire Frozen Four.

 

During the goaltender's junior season, Martin suffered a knee injury in January that forced her out of the rest of the season. Despite playing in just 22 of UMD's 39 games (39 games that involved a third-straight NCAA Frozen Four appearance for the Bulldogs) Martin was named an All-WCHA Third Team member. After missing the 2009-10 season to centralize with Team Sweden ahead of the 2010 Olympics, Martin returned for her senior campaign in 2010-11. Martin split time with Jennifer Harss, manning the pipes in 20 of UMD's 34 games, which included a fifth-straight NCAA Tournament berth. Martin was the 2010-11 WCHA Goaltending Champion, and was named an All-WCHA Third Team selection. The netminder still ranks fourth all-time with 2,446 saves in just 99 career games, first in goaltender wins with an all-time record of 67-23-6, fourth with 16 career shutouts and first with a career saves percentage of .954. Martin still also holds a multitude of single season records, including goaltender wins (31-4-1 in 2007-08), the top-two spots for saves percentage (.948 in 2007-08 and .947 in 2010-11) and the top spot for goals against in a single season –  1.38 in 2010-11.

The two-time UMD alternate captain, who began her international career with Team Sweden as a 15 year old in 2001, earned two Olympic gold medals over her four Olympic games career. While she earned a bronze medal as a 16-year old in 2002 in Salt Lake City, Martin shot to stardom in 2006 in Turin when Sweden  upset the U.S. in the semi-finals. Martin recorded 37 saves in a shootout victory, marking the first time the women's gold medal final at the Olympics would not feature a Canada – U.S. match-up. At the conclusion of the tournament, Martin was named the Best Goalie by the IIHF and earned a spot on the Tournament All-Star Team.

The IIHF Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on medal day at the 2025 Men's World Championship in Stockholm, Sweden, on May 25, 2025.

Martin will become the third former Bulldog to enter the IIHF Hall of Fame -- Maria Rooth, Caroline Ouellete were both previously inducted, with Ouellete inducted most recently in 2023.

Read the full IIHF release here.