Flyers’ Prospect Porter Martone Commits to Michigan State

It appears another top prospect from the 2025 NHL Draft is leaving the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) for the NCAA collegiate circuit. On Monday, Elliotte Friedman reported that Philadelphia Flyers’ prospect and Brampton Steelheads’ star Porter Martone will commit to the Michigan State Spartans.

Martone, who went sixth overall to the Flyers in June’s draft, joins a large group of CHL players who are making the collegiate jump from major junior, including former Steelheads’ teammate Jack Ivankovic, projected number one pick in the 2026 NHL Draft Gavin McKenna as well as a slew of other players.

As for Martone, the 18-year-old winger is coming off a season in which he captained the Steelheads with 37 goals and 98 points in just 57 games during the OHL regular season. He added another nine points in six playoff games before playing two games at the World Championship and getting a chance to be around some of Canada’s top players – including Nathan MacKinnon, Marc-Andre Fleury and Sidney Crosby.

Martone joins an impressive list of players who will make up Michigan State’s 2025-26 freshman class. That list includes Cayden Lindstrom, Ryker Lee, Eric Nilson, Anthony Romani, Austin Baker, Melvin Strahl and Matthew Lahey.

In Martone, the Spartans add a feisty forward who plays to his size and will bring a lot of offensive production to their already impressive line-up. The addition to the NCAA furthers the ongoing discussion of how the open route to college will affect the overall landscape of the CHL, however, this new development route could see players like Martone make immediate impacts when they do finally make the jump to the NHL.