‘He’s the guy every team hates to play’: Why 2025 NHL Draft’s Porter Martone is a player you win with

Steven Ellis
Steven Ellis(sellishockey)
Jun 8, 2025, 09:00 EDT
‘He’s the guy every team hates to play’: Why 2025 NHL Draft’s Porter Martone is a player you win with
Credit: (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)

BUFFALO – Porter Martone didn’t have much time to decompress before heading to the NHL Draft Combine.

The Brampton Steelheads forward arrived home briefly after a month-long run with Canada’s World Championship team. He didn’t skate in a game until the later stages, but he was still impactful in his limited opportunities.

As an 18-year-old, playing against men is a big deal. But he also had the chance to learn from future Hall of Famers like Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon, which is something most kids his age could only dream of.

“Playing alongside guys like Crosby, you can’t put a price tag on that,” Martone said at the 2025 NHL Draft Combine. “I got to learn so much, like the way Crosby prepares himself for games, his routine, it’s something special.”

It might not have been for long, but that experience could come up clutch ahead of the NHL Draft in a few weeks.

Martone is the fourth-rated prospect on Daily Faceoff’s recent draft list, making his mark as one of just two wingers in the top 10 (the other being Victor Eklund). Some considered Martone to be a serious contender for No. 1 early in the year, but Michael Misa’s incredible scoring tear pushed him down a few pegs.

Still, Martone could absolutely become a game-changer at the next level.

Martone has always been a goal-scorer. He had 33 goals in 2023-24 and another 36 this year. His playmaking, though, took another step forward. He was a dominant setup guy at the U-18 World Championship in 2024, where he finished with 12 assists and 17 points in just seven games. It marked one of the best tournament performances ever seen, and that momentum carried into the OHL regular season, where he had 61 assists. Only Michael Misa (72) and Jake O’Brien (66) had more among draft-eligible OHLers.

“He’s just a special player, he’s going to go really high in his draft year,” said top 2026 prospect Gavin McKenna, who played with Martone at the 2024 U-18s. “He works so hard, he’s such a fun guy to play with. You’ve gotta be ready for a pass coming from him, because it’s like he’s got eyes on the back of his head.”

Physically, that’s where the comparisons to Matthew Tkachuk and Corey Perry come in – but to a certain extent. He’ll fight you, he’ll hit you, and he’ll make you accountable for your mistakes. Martone then has the puck skills to back the smack talk up. He has excellent hands and controls the puck as well as anyone. The Peterborough, Ontario native spends a ton of time around the net, but he can also rip shots home on the power play. Some scouts wish he’d get more physically involved on a regular basis, though.

“Porter is tough to play against,” said Los Angeles Kings prospect Carter George, who has played with and against him over the course of their junior careers. “He’s got the skill and the grit and the size. He’s the guy every team hates to play.”

The one talking point against Martone’s game this year is his lack of pure speed. His skating is still a work in progress, no doubt. But it’s something many scouts look at and believe is fixable. Compared to most projected top 10 prospects, Martone’s skating is near the bottom, but it’s something he’s working on. And, if we’ve learned anything about NHL coaching staffs in recent years, it’s that skating is one of the most fixable traits in a young player. You’d rather have someone with wonky skating than a lack of hockey IQ. His skating has improved immensely since his U-16 days, for what it’s worth.

“I’m just trying to be dominant every night and play with a higher pace,” Martone said earlier in the season. “I feel like when I play with that pace, I could really take advantage of games.”

In terms of pure offense, there aren’t many that play like Martone. He has arguably the best vision in the entire draft class and has some of the best offensive IQ, too. While his skating might lack and some scouts wish he’d be more physical, everyone agrees that he’s one of the smartest players in this draft class. He just understands the game and how to exploit opportunities.

Martone will probably need to line up with a play-driving center to continue producing at the next level, but his ability to absolutely dominate with the puck – and impact the offensive zone without it – makes him so lethal. A perfect example of that: the World Championship pre-tournament game against Hungary. Sure, it wasn’t the toughest competition, but it was Martone’s first taste of playing against pro hockey players and he finished with three points.

That play-driving center beside him? Macklin Celebrini. Their chemistry was instant, and Martone was able to make some magic. Martone simply thrives alongside other smart, skilled players.

If Martone can get his skating in check and use his big frame to his advantage, he’ll have an excellent career. That alone gives him a high ceiling and among the best in the draft. He has the offensive side figured out, and if he does go to college like many expect next season, he’ll have plenty of time to work on the two key areas he needs to improve in.

With his hockey sense, Martone is going to be just fine.

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