‘He’s a special player’: Flyers’ Porter Martone chasing revenge at second World Juniors

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. – One of the great mysteries from the 2025 World Junior Championship in Ottawa was the usage of forward Porter Martone.

Last December, Martone had a real shot at going first overall. Scouts were drawn to his big frame, his tremendous play with the puck and his respected leadership qualities. He even had a chance to link up with Seattle Kraken draft pick Carson Rehkopf, whom he played with throughout the OHL season with Brampton Steelheads.

Instead, Canadian coach Dave Cameron never glued them together. In fact, they never skated in the same game together; instead, they rotated in and out throughout the tournament. When Canada needed goals desperately, they never once tried one of the most dynamic duos in all of junior hockey.

This time around, though, Martone isn’t gunning for a depth role. He’s ready to be a leader.

The Philadelphia Flyers prospect is one of six players chasing revenge after falling in the quarterfinal last January. It marked the first time he hadn’t won a medal internationally with Canada, having won gold and bronze at the U-18 World Championship, and silver at the U-17s. He would later play two games at the senior men’s World Championship this past May, where he got to lean on players like Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon and Macklin Celebrini.

The World Junior gold still eludes him – but he’s ready for the challenge.

“The past two years (quarterfinal losses) happened, but that’s in the past now,” Martone said during training camp in Niagara Falls. “We’re using that as a learning experience. We’re ready to go hard this year. I think we have a good group here that can bring a lot of different attributes and bring a lot of different things to the table. So, I’m excited.”

Martone is expected to be Canada’s top right winger, potentially alongside San Jose Sharks forward Michael Misa and top 2026 NHL Draft prospect Gavin McKenna. Martone has plenty of showcase experience with both of them, with Martone and McKenna putting up near-record-breaking numbers en route to gold at the 2024 U-18s.

“He’s a special player,” McKenna said. “He’s very smart. He can make plays and he can put the puck in the back of the net. There isn’t much more you can ask out of a player.”

Martone took the leap to the NCAA this season, where he’s working on becoming stronger and faster. Those are two things scouts wanted to see out of him after his draft year, with the Flyers ultimately taking him sixth overall in June. So far, so good – Martone leads Michigan State, one of the top teams in the country, with 20 points in 16 games.

“There’s definitely an adjustment going over to college, learning that style of play,” Martone said. “I think I have evolved as a player and as a person. I’ve grown up, I’ve matured. But on the ice, I’ve added another element to my game. I’ve found my identity as a player, added a lot of strength in the gym that has helped with my speed on the ice, and I think I’m more consistent every shift and be the power forward I need to be.”

Martone finished his OHL career with 89 goals and 204 points in 178 games over three years. He also often displayed his tough side, landing himself in the penalty box for 194 minutes. Martone was known more as a goal-scorer early on in his OHL career, but quickly became one of the best playmakers in the league last season. He had arguably the best vision in the entire 2025 NHL draft class. He even had some of the best offensive IQ, too.

While Martone’s skating might be lacking and some scouts wish he’d be more physical, everyone agrees that he’s one of the smartest players in his age group. Martone just understands the game and how to exploit opportunities, which has allowed him to be so successful in college already.

Canada has no shortage of scoring weapons on this team. A handful are pacing for over 100 points in the OHL. Some others, like McKenna, Calgary’s Cole Reschny and Montreal’s Michael Hage have been playing against older competition in college. This is one of the strongest Canadian teams in quite some time, and Martone is a big reason why.

“He’s got a very deceptive shot, good release,” Canadian starting goalie Carter George said. “He’s a smart shooter, he knows where to put it on a good goalie. And he’s been picking me apart a little bit this camp.”

Martone could be NHL-bound after college this season. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him step immediately into Philadelphia’s top-six. He’s a high-impact forward who can be an absolute pain-in-the-you-know-what when you piss him off. Martone is easily one of the most exciting prospects in the game today, and he’s about to show why on the world stage.

“I know that the group here is excited, and I think all of Canada should be as well,” Martone said, with a smile.

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