NHL draft prospect spotlight: Porter Martone
In the lead-up to the 2025 NHL Draft, theScore is spotlighting eight of the most intriguing prospects in the class to help you get familiar with the top names before draft night.
Next up is Porter Martone, one of the premier power forwards of his class.
Martone has drawn comparisons to Corey Perry and Filip Forsberg due to a unique combination of size, skill, and physicality. His elite hands and powerful shot give him a high offensive ceiling, while his pro-ready frame could put him on the fast track to the NHL if he can improve his skating.
The Brampton Steelheads captain finished second among draft-eligible OHL skaters in points this season, trailing only Michael Misa. He earned a spot on Canada's world juniors team, though he only dressed in three games and recorded one goal. The 18-year-old also suited up in a pair of contests for Canada at the World Championship, the only 2025 draft-eligible player to do so.
Best fits
Matthew Schaefer and Misa are widely considered the top two players in the draft, but it wouldn't be completely shocking if the Sharks went slightly off the board and took Martone second overall. You can see the logic behind it. Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith give San Jose a dynamic one-two punch down the middle of the ice heading into the future. While you can never have too many centers, the Sharks may prefer a natural winger with size and power like Martone over Misa, whose skill set somewhat overlaps with Smith's.
Martone to the Blackhawks at third overall will be a popular pairing in mock drafts. Led by the 5-foot-10 Connor Bedard, Chicago's forward nucleus mostly comprises undersized players. Martone's heavy game could be the ultimate complement.
If both the Sharks and Blackhawks pass on Martone, it's hard to imagine he'd get by the Utah Mammoth at No. 4. Martone fits the type of big, toolsy player that general manager Bill Armstrong has drafted in the past. Martone's size would add a nice mix to a current forward group headlined by smaller, skilled players such as Clayton Keller and Logan Cooley.
What they're saying
"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," The Athletic's Corey Pronman wrote. "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."
"I think Martone is going to have a long, successful NHL career," Daily Faceoff's Steven Ellis wrote. "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."