Trophy Tracker: Martone of Flyers early-season choice for Calder as rookie of year

To mark the beginning of the 2026-27 regular season, NHL.com is running its first installment of the Trophy Tracker series. Today, we look at the race for the Calder Trophy, given annually to the rookie of the year in the NHL as selected in a poll by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

Porter Martone never has been one to back down from expectations.

The Philadelphia Flyers forward understands the spotlight is brighter as he starts his first full NHL season after an impressive late-season arrival helped the Flyers reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in five seasons in 2025-26.

But the 19-year-old does not merely accept the attention. He welcomes it.

"I think when you have chatter around you, it puts pressure on you," Martone said. "But that's something that I love, and it's always been something that I've loved ever since I was a kid. I like the high-pressure moments, high-pressure situations."

That's part of the reason Martone is NHL.com's preseason favorite for the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year after receiving 70 voting points, including nine first-place votes, from NHL.com's 16-person panel. Toronto Maple Leafs forward Gavin McKenna was second with 59 points (five first-place votes), followed by San Jose Sharks forward Ivar Stenberg and Washington Capitals defenseman Cole Hutson each with 34 points (one first-place vote each).

Martone's place atop the ballot comes after he had 10 points (four goals, six assists) in his first nine NHL games last season and then five points (two goals, three assists) in 10 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

The Flyers have never had a player win the Calder Trophy. New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer won the Calder last season.

Martone (6-foot-3, 214 pounds), the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, has made a habit of thriving when the stakes are highest. He led Michigan State with 50 points (25 goals, 25 assists) in 35 games as a freshman last season. His six goals in seven games led the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship as he helped Canada win the bronze medal as team captain. He also had five points (one goal, four assists) in 10 games for Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Championship.

"If I didn't think I'd be able to make an impact on the Flyers and help them win those games, I would have went back to Michigan State for another year," Martone said.

Martone began the season in Philadelphia's top six, playing as right wing on a line with center Trevor Zegras. Through three games he does not have a point but is averaging 12:31 of ice time, including 1:46 on the power play. His strength, puck protection, finishing ability and work around the net should make him particularly effective alongside a fast, creative center. If his skating continues to improve, Martone could develop from a 50- to 60-point power forward into a player capable of producing at close to a point-per-game pace.

"That's something I'm going to continue to keep on working because for me, I think I'm never at my best, and I can always keep getting better, and that's something I'll continue to work on every day," Martone said when asked about his skating.

McKenna (5-11, 164) is the rare prospect capable of reshaping Toronto's long-term offensive ceiling. The 18-year-old, selected No. 1 in the 2026 NHL Draft, had 51 points (15 goals, 36 assists) in 35 NCAA games as an 18-year-old freshman at Penn State University and had 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in seven games for Canada at the 2026 WJC.

In three games at left wing alongside center John Tavares, he has three shots on goal and has averaged 14:32 of ice time.

Stenberg (5-11, 185), who turned 19 on Sept. 30, could be a top Calder candidate because of the potential to play on a line with San Jose's young forward core, including Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith and Michael Misa. He's smart and brings a high motor with excellent playmaking instincts. The No. 2 pick in the 2026 draft had 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 43 games with Frolunda of the Swedish Hockey League last season, the fifth-highest total by a player age 18 or younger in Sweden's top league. He also tied for Sweden's scoring lead at the 2026 World Juniors with 10 points (four goals, six assists) in seven games to help them win the gold medal, and had eight points (four goals, four assists) in eight games for Sweden at the 2026 Worlds.

Stenberg got his first NHL point in his second game, assisting on Tyler Toffoli's goal in the Sharks' 5-4 overtime win agains the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.

Hutson, a second-round pick (No. 43) in the 2024 NHL Draft, scored in the Capitals' season-opening 5-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday, and through two games is averaging 19:06 of ice time. The 20-year-old had 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 14 games with the Capitals last season after finishing his second season at Boston University. He also had four points (one goal, three assists) in three games for the United States at the 2026 WJC. At the 2025 WJC, he helped the U.S. win the gold medal and became the first defenseman ever to lead the tournament in scoring outright with 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in seven games.

Voting totals (points awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis): Porter Martone, Philadelphia Flyers, 70 points (nine first-place votes); Gavin McKenna, Toronto Maple Leafs, 59 (five first-place votes); Ivar Stenberg, San Jose Sharks, 34 (one first-place vote); Cole Hutson, Washington Capitals, 34 (one first-place vote); Anton Frondell, Chicago Blackhawks, 18; Konsta Helenius, Buffalo Sabres, 8; James Hagens, Boston Bruins, 6; Ilya Protas, Washington Capitals, 4; Alberts Smits, New York Rangers, 2; Viggo Bjorck, Winnipeg Jets, 2; Victor Eklund, New York Islanders, 1; Sergei Murashov Pittsburgh Penguins, 1; Roger McQueen, Anaheim Ducks, 1

NHL.com deputy managing editor Adam Kimelman contributed to this report