A big forward checks in at the third spot
Welcome back to our feature on draft profiles for projected top picks in the upcoming 2025 NHL draft. Catch up with the previous one here:
No 1. Matthew Schaefer
No 2. Michael Misa
For the rankings, we have turned to the venerable Bob McKenzie from TSN for his listing of players. McKenzie’s list is typically in-tune with the NHL, because his rankings are an average that comes from surveying 10 active NHL scouts. As such, the list is set as follows for players we will look to profile in the coming weeks to spread some awareness and knowledge for Pittsburgh NHL fans to get to know some of the top prospects.
No. 3: Porter Martone, 6’3” 208 pounds, RW, Brampton Steelheads (OHL)
The draft opens up a bit in time for the third overall pick. There’s no consensus and the draft could take it’s first turn after Schaefer-Misa go 1-2 to open things up. Following McKenzie’s list, the pick here is Martone. It makes sense to rank him here, he might not be a unanimous third overall pick, but it’s a pretty good bet that Martone won’t last much beyond this spot based on most of the pre-draft rankings out there.
The reason Martone is revered is evident in watching his highlights. He’s a massive player with an insane amount of talent in his hands that led to producing 98 points (37G+6A) in just 57 games this season in the OHL.
Compared sometimes to Corey Perry or a Tkachuk brother (in the way that every young winger that’s big + good hands is compared to a Tkachuk brother these days) but that might be over-stating Martone’s physicality. He has the big body but he’s not a throwback to Kevin Stevens or Rick Tocchet as a brute-force type of aggro power forward.
Despite the production, there’s a knock on Martone; a heavy, plodding skating style stands out. Keeping up with the pace might require a learning curve and a lot of work for him, but the size and skill factor in enough to where some team will be extremely happy to add Martone at the top of the draft.
They said it
Martone was a top player in the OHL this season; however, he did struggle at the World Juniors for Canada. Martone’s skill level and creativity with the puck are elite, especially for a man his size. His reach and skill will allow him to beat a ton of NHL defenders one-on-one. He makes a lot of difficult plays and does so in traffic. Martone competes well, showing no hesitancy to engage physically or create at the net. Martone’s major issue is the pace in his game. When he turns the corner and gets up ice, his foot speed is decent, but his first few steps are heavy, with a semi-wonky looking stride, and he doesn’t always play with a ton of tempo. The size/skill combo is so good he could overcome that problem, but as one head scout has said, “Martone has the biggest weakness of any of the top five picks.” He projects as a top-line scoring winger in the NHL who could put up a ton of points.
He’s a selfless player who might be one of the best overall analytical profiles in my entire database. There’s almost nothing he doesn’t do successfully in good volumes. Scoring chances for himself? Check. Generating chances for others? Check. Offensive transition success? Check. Defensive transition involvement and success? Check and check. Hits? Check. Forechecking results? Check. He just does everything you could ask a player to do, especially as a winger. He is the source of well over 50% of Brampton’s shot attempts with him on the ice, and he earns it. Martone might not be a play driver who can carry pucks across three lines at 40km/h and run a line with anyone, but he is an elite complement to guys like the names ahead of him which is what places him in this slot. He wears the C in Brampton for a reason and it becomes very clear when you watch the team play. He just goes out and plays like someone you want to play with, even if he isn’t an obviously dominant presence. He sneaks around with intelligence and doesn’t overthink the game. I can’t say enough good things about him and simply can’t wait to see where he goes in the NHL Draft. I hope that his landing spot respects his finesse, pass vision and mid-range scoring ability rather than seeing his raw size and trying to make him into a traditional power forward.
Some love him; others aren’t so sure. I think Martone is going to have a long, successful NHL career. He possesses an excellent combination of skill, size and power, and he’s equally dangerous as a shooter and a passer. He’s not your typical power forward player, and that’s because he can beat guys with pure skill. He fell just short of 100 points in his third OHL campaign, but he was still must-watch entertainment every night for the Steelheads. I like Martone as a future top-six forward who can finish plays and throw the body around
Porter Martone is a high-upside power forward with high end offensive instincts, a strong physical presence, and the ability to dominate one-on-one battles and games. At his best, he is a skilled, creative, and versatile forward capable of producing at an elite level while using his size and strength to control the boards and the net-front area. However, consistency and discipline remain concerns, as lapses in focus have impacted his overall game. With continued development in his defensive play, skating, and decision-making, Martone projects as a potential top-5 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.
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Unless the Penguins are planning to make a trade and move up several spots to about this range of 3-4-5, they aren’t going to be in position to draft Martone. The odds of Martone wearing a Penguin jersey in the near future aren’t that high, but he’s a prospect well worth knowing in the scheme of having an understanding about the top tier players that will be selected.