Quebec native will follow former Spirit captain Bailey Kirwin to Connecticut college this fall
It’s a return to Connecticut after two fulfilling years in Stouffville.
That’s the Jacob Martineau story in a nutshell.
The native of Sainte-Agathe-de-Lotbinière, Quebec, who turned 21 in March, has aged out of junior hockey.
He will play at the NCAA Division III level, at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, Connecticut, beginning this fall.
Martineau helped lead the Stouffville Spirit to its most successful regular season in the 30-year history of the franchise in 2025-26.
The assistant captain had 63 points (22 goals/41 assists) in 52 games.
“That just shows how great a place (Stouffville) is. Everyone wants to come back and give back to help the kids.”
Ontario Junior Hockey League officials noticed. Martineau represented the Spirit at the OJHL all-star game in Milton in January and the league’s showcase of graduating players in Oshawa a month earlier.
He thanks the league and the Spirit for introducing him to his college of choice.
“It all started at the OJHL Governors’ Showcase in September,” he said of the heavily-scouted event held in Niagara Falls, ON. “That was really great exposure for me. I had like a lot of schools reach out from the Showcase.
“(Albertus Magnus) was looking at my game and was really interested in me. I love that it’s a small school, with around 1,000 students.”
Former Spirit captain Bailey Kirwin played the past four seasons at the college.
Martineau will study accounting.
It helps that Martineau spent the two seasons before arriving in Stouffville in Connecticut playing prep school pucks for Norwich Hockey Club. New Haven and Norwich are an hour apart.
Martineau attended a reunion at his prep school last weekend.
He’s made the seven-hour drive back to Sainte-Agathe-de-Lotbinière where he’s working with his dad, Patrick, on the family’s dairy farms this summer. That includes keeping tabs on 200 cows – on his iPhone and the farm’s computer.
“The robots milk the cows and give them food,” he said. “They tell us which cows have passed a certain point. When a cow’s waiting to have a baby, you know. It’s really fun to see.”
Martineau’s mastery of the English language is impressive, thanks to four years in Anglo Stouffville and Norwich. He wasn’t as comfortable with it when he joined the Spirit in 2024.
“It’s like my first language now,” he said. “With the two years in high school and two seasons in Stouffville, it really improved.”
Martineau exits Stouffville with pride.
“It was great,” he said. “In the two years, we were able to have a winning culture.
“I just made lots of memories with the guys. I loved TJ (Hill, head coach) and the coaching staff. I appreciate all the video we did, all the feedback we received.
“I’m really grateful for everything.”
Hill returned the compliments.
“Really happy for him,” Hill said of Martineau. “It’s well deserved. He developed into such a complete player during his time in Stouffville and he will be a great addition on and off the ice to his new team.”
Martineau saved special praise for his billets, Michael and Adele Palmer and their children, who he remains in regular contact with.
Martineau watched coverage of the Spirit’s Development Camp this week and was happy to see current and former players assisting with drills and working the benches.
The volunteers included former teammates David Paglia, now at Wilfrid Laurier University, and Josh Bonnyman, back from a season at Flint of the Ontario Hockey League.
“That just shows how great a place it is,” he said. “Everyone wants to come back and give back to help the kids.”
