The past few days have been a whirlwind for newly signed top Flyers prospect Porter Martone. On Sunday, the sixth overall pick of the 2025 NHL Draft signed his entry-level contract. That evening, he arrived at Xfinity Mobile Arena to watch part of the game against Dallas. He was in the locker room as his new teammates celebrated a crucial 2-1 overtime victory.
Monday is an off-day for most of the Flyers' players. Martone, however, will be at the FTC in Voorhees. He'll have his first press conference as an NHL player. Flyers general manager Daniel Briere said that it's possible Martone could be in the lineup on Tuesday when the Flyers visit the Washington Capitals.
"It's exciting for the organization to have to have them sign and join our team coming down the stretch here, where we're playing meaningful games. Give them the chance to be around that. See how those guys prepare, what it's like, how the intensity is, playing meaningful games, and we'll see where it goes," Briere said on Sunday evening.
"We're not closing down the window for Tuesday, assuming that everything goes according to plan. There's paperwork to be done. There's a doctor visit to be done as well. We're hopeful that Tuesday could be the game, but we'll see. I don't want to get too far ahead of myself right now."
If Martone does not play on Tuesday, he has a strong possibility to be ready to go by Thursday when the Flyers host the Detroit Red Wings. That would also give Martone the benefit of having Tuesday's morning skate, a full practice on Wednesday and a video session to prepare for his debut.
One day prior to signing his entry-level contract, the 19-year-old completed his collegiate season. Michigan State was upset by Wisconsin in the NCAA Frozen Four tournament. It was an abrupt end to an otherwise stellar freshman season.
In just 35 games, Martone led Michigan State with 25 goals and 50 points. He also captained Team Canada at the World Junior Championships (six goals, nine points in seven games). Last year, Martone suited up both in the World Juniors and the IIHF World Championships. At the latter, he played with and against dozens of current or former National Hockey League players.
Between the IIHF Worlds and a season of playing with and against numerous players in their 20s, Martone has a bit more experience than the typical teenager in competition among physically mature players.
One of the main reasons why Martone left the Ontario Hockey League for the NCAA this season was the opportunity to continue filling out his 6-foot-3 frame. Martone carries about 210 muscular pounds on his frame.
"That was the biggest reason for encouraging the move to NCAA this season; physically to have a kind of a stepping step from the OHL to the NHL. Developing his body, getting stronger. I think the amount of time he spent in the gym, you can see in his body how it's changed, almost going from a teenager to a man," Briere said.
"He took a step, too, by playing against men. In the NCAA, there's a lot of strong players that are much older than the 16- or 17-year-olds in the CHL."
A power forward with some finesse
The first two things that jump out when watching Martone play: his size/skill combination and his physical strength. He is hard to separate from the puck, either along the boards or when taking the puck to the net. He also has surprising finesse. He is good at drawing defenders to come at him and then finding an open teammate with a pass. His goal scoring upside (37 goals in just 57 games his final OHL season, 25 in 35 collegiate games this year) gets the most attention. However, Martone also racked up 61 assists his Draft year and had an equal number of assists and goals at Michigan State this year.
The more frequently one sees Martone play, the more his competitive drive becomes clear. There is also a bit of sandpaper to his game. He gets under opponents' skink and is not afraid to get involved physically. Over time, don't be surprised if he becomes an NHL player who stirs things up between (and sometimes after) the whistles. There's also a bit of a chirping streak to him, as he showed at the World Juniors.
Like all rookies, there are things Martone will have to refine and adjust to as a pro. His defensive play, while not a liability, is average. There will be some adjustments in making reads at the NHL level.
Martone's skating is powerful once he gets moving but his pure speed is not in the realm of Owen Tippett. Martone's skating, however, a few degrees north of where new Flyers teammate Tyson Foerster was at the same age. Long term, Martone's skating is not a concern. He just won't be a speed demon who dazzles on solo efforts in transition the way Tippett can.
When drawing a rough outline -- not a direct comparison -- of Martone's talent ceiling and playing style, Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet invoked the name of a former Hart Trophy winner.
"I'm not going to put the tag on him, but somebody's talking about, like, a Corey Perry type of guy. Those are hard to find. So, we're excited to have a guy like that," Tocchet said.
