Porter Martone 2025 NHL Draft Scouting Report After Being Selected by Flyers

Scouting Report

Martone may have the best pure hockey sense in this year's draft class. Unfortunately, he's not always inclined to use it.

One of his greatest strengths is his hockey sense and vision. At his best, he's able to project how plays could unfold before they even take place. He can set his teammates up for success with his excellent playmaking instincts.

He can use that sense to deceive opponents or find gaps in their coverage to get a pass off to precisely where his teammate is going to be. 

His hockey sense isn't limited to reading unfolding plays. Rather, it's as if he got the play-by-play of the game before it happened, and he knows his teammates inside and out, so he knows what moves to expect from linemates and opponents alike. His anticipation allows him to be thinking three steps ahead of everyone else on the ice when he's engaged. 

His puck skills are also phenomenal—shooting, passing, handling, he ticks all the boxes. On multiple occasions this season, we saw Martone make passes that are NHL-level.

He could be an elite playmaker if he gives himself the chance to be. No-look passes are made like they're the simplest option on the board, and minor movements are used to manipulate defenders to create opportunities. He's unreal.

The physical side of Martone's game is used less often, but what we have seen is mostly positive. He's able to use his size and reach not only while making plays but also on the forecheck and when going for loose pucks.

The problem is Martone is not the player described above on every shift.

His greatest strength has the potential to completely hamstring him if he doesn't check himself, and soon. 

Remaining on the perimeter of play and cherry-picking his moments aside, Martone also has an issue with not using his physicality productively.

Rather than throwing a hit to separate an opposing player from the puck, he will choose to throw a hit to start something with his opponent. While the latter can be of value at times (specifically if you do it legally), he needs to prioritize the former, especially given what he can do with the puck when he has it. 

We saw his scoring this season. We saw the hot streaks he's capable of getting on and the incredible passes he makes to his linemates. Now imagine what his stat line would look like if he really dove in and got involved on every single play, every single shift, and used the physicality we know he has to separate opponents from pucks rather than to simply rile them up.

From an overall perspective, Martone needs to place his focus next season on improving his general lack of engagement. He has the skill set to be an incredible player in the NHL.

He just seems determined to take the easy route, and with the way the league is evolving, that isn't going to work out the way he wants it to.

Vitals

Position: Right Wing

Age on Draft Day: 18

Height, Weight: 6'3", 204 pounds

2024-25 stats (OHL): 57 GP, 37 G, 61 A

Loose Stylistic Comparables

Mikko Rantanen (if his potential bears out)

Michael Dal Colle (if it doesn't)