“Overconfident” comes to mind as a blanket term to describe 18-year-old boys — but that’s not the case for NHL draft-eligible prospect Porter Martone.
“Everything,” he said when I asked about his weaknesses on Monday morning. “I could always get better at everything. I continue to work on every aspect of my game because I’m not at the top yet. I’m not going to stop, ever, because you could always get better at different things.”
In terms of his strengths, he noted his hockey IQ and his compete level — two things you can’t play in the NHL without.
Porter Martone’s NHL comparables
Martone compared himself to notable playoff performers Matthew Tkachuk and Corey Perry.
The biography section of Martone’s HockeyDB page matches him perfectly to Perry, aside from the 22-year age gap. Both Martone and Perry are listed at 6-foot-3, 208 pounds. They’re both right-handed right-wingers and they’re even from the same city: Peterborough, Ontario.
Perry has managed a 20-year career bedazzled with all kinds of awards — and he shows no signs of slowing down, even at 40 years old. If Martone could have a fraction of that success, he’d be a great player.
And he’s on the right track.
Despite playing 10 fewer OHL games than Perry did in his draft year, Martone has managed 20 points more. He accomplished a similar feat in his draft-minus-one year, scoring 11 more points with just one more game played.
The key difference between the two, though, is the permanent smile on Martone’s face (Perry is known for his grumpiness).
Learning from the best
Martone was selected to replace the injured Bo Horvat at the World Championship in Sweden and Denmark this spring — a chance few Canadian 18-year-olds get. He only got to play two games, but the experience will serve him well.
“I never thought I’d be on the same team as Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon,” he said.
He spent that time soaking up as much information as he could. Two things stood out to him:
- The way the professionals prepare for games
- The amount of fun they have
Canada suffered a historic upset at the hands of Team Denmark in the quarterfinal, sending the tournament favorites packing early — but Martone is determined to use that as a learning experience.
“A couple of the leaders in that room stepped up, and they handled it with such professionalism,” he said. “If I get another chance to play for Team Canada, say, at the World Juniors, I could use that as a learning experience to not let it happen again.”
Conversations with the Utah Mammoth
Martone was among the handful of players whom the Utah Mammoth took to dinner at the NHL combine in early June.
“We had some good conversations,” Martone said of his time with Utah’s management and scouting staff. “They’re a very high-class organization. I’ve heard nothing but great things.”
That statement is based on more than his mere hour or two of conversation with the team’s higher-ups. Martone skates in the summers with Mammoth forward and fellow Peterborough native Barrett Hayton, where he’s able to get honest opinions.
“(He’s) someone who I could definitely look up to,” Martone said of Hayton. “He’s been great to me. ... We’ve become pretty close over the years.”
Martone is intrigued by the passion of Utah’s fans, as well as their trajectory as a young, up-and-coming team.
“I feel like I could help them one day,” he said.
Plans for the future
When asked for his opinion on the NCAA’s recent ruling to allow former CHL players to play college hockey, Martone was indifferent. He doesn’t plan on playing in either league next season.
“I want to play in the NHL next year,” he said. “That’s my goal right now. That’s the thing on my mind, is to play in the NHL.”
Of course, he’s open to going wherever his draft team recommends, but he’s going to battle for a roster spot in camp and hope for the best.
Outside of the first overall pick, it’s uncommon for players to play in the NHL the year after they’re drafted — but it does happen from time to time.
What to like about Porter Martone
As mentioned, Martone is a big, physical winger whose compete level is top-tier. In those regards, he matches GM Bill Armstrong’s drafting M.O. to a tee.
His leadership is evidenced by the fact that he wears the “C” as the Brampton Steelheads’ captain — even with a number of older, more experienced players on the team. He also captained Team Canada at the 2024 U18 World Junior Championship (where he scored 17 points in seven games, winning gold alongside Mammoth prospects Tij Iginla and Cole Beaudoin).
In terms of hard skills, his shot is top-tier and his playmaking is among the best in this draft class. His stick-handling and puck protection don’t hurt him either, though his skating could use some fine tuning.