Philadelphia Flyers’ 2025 Draft Crown Jewel Martone Shocks Fans With College Move

Michigan State will be a team to watch for Flyers fans this season.

That's because Porter Martone committed to the Spartans on Monday, leaving junior hockey for the college ranks. He'll join fellow Flyers prospect Shane Vansaghi in East Lansing, Michigan.

Martone was drafted by the Flyers at sixth overall last month and Vansaghi went to the club in the second round. Martone, a talented 18-year-old winger, had an outside chance at a spot with the Flyers this fall. At development camp earlier this month, he said "a full regular season in the NHL" was his goal for 2025-26.

But going the college route takes him out of training camp and contention for the season-opening roster. The Flyers are in support of Martone's decision, according to a source.

After putting up 98 points (37 goals, 61 assists) and a plus-19 rating in 57 games last season for the OHL's Brampton Steelheads, Martone will face some older competition at the college level.

"To see his maturity, the way he handles himself around the group, even around you guys — he's a pretty comfortable kid as far as that," Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr said a little over two weeks ago. "I think once he gets with NHL players, he's going to stand out that much more.

"I think he's a player that's always looking around and learning. I think the pace of his game is going to have to pick up, but you see the hands, the vision, the ability to make plays that very few guys — even on the big team — can make. There's a process, he's a young guy, we've got to be patient, but we'll see what he can do."

Time will tell how the Flyers' 2025-26 campaign goes, but Martone could still make his NHL debut toward the end of the season. If his side feels he's ready and the Flyers feel they're in a position to have him play, he could sign his entry-level contract when Michigan State's season wraps up.

"He's a really good player already, he's pretty close to being ready," Flyers general manager Danny Briere said last month at the draft. "I don't know that it's going to be the right thing to play him [in the NHL] this year, in the upcoming season, but we'll see.

"If there's one thing I would say is, in this draft and in the first round, he's pretty close to being the most ready out of that group. To be able to select him at No. 6 for us was, I wouldn't say a steal, but we had him higher on our board with the talent."

Martone liked what he saw at Flyers development camp.

"There are lots of good players here," he said a little over two weeks ago. "There are guys that have played in the NHL, there are guys that have won national championships in college, guys who have won Memorial Cups. I think there's a great prospect pool here."