THN.com/podcast. THN On The 'O': Team Ontario, Pinelli, Del Bel Belluz and More Porter Martone. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTk2Mzk0Mzc5NjAwOTk2Mjkx/martone_ns_3883.jpg] Porter Martone. Rebuilding in the CHL comes in a much quicker cycle than it does in the NHL, and one team that intrigues for the near future is the Mississauga Steelheads. Though the team is safely in a playoff spot for this season, the Steelheads made a couple blockbuster deals before the trade deadline that signalled which direction they were headed: Montreal Canadiens prospect Owen Beck was shipped out to Peterborough, while two-way center Luca Del Bel Belluz (CBJ) and physical defenseman Ethan Del Mastro (CHI) headed off to Sarnia. On top of a number of draft picks, part of the returns for those deals were rookie forwards Porter Martone and Jack Van Volsen - the fifth and sixth picks overall in the 2022 OHL draft. Playing together with the U16 Toronto Jr. Canadiens, Martone and Van Volsen both scored more than 100 points last season and helped JRC make it to the OHL Cup final, where they fell to a loaded Mississauga Senators team that featured Michael Misa and Malcolm Spence (the top two picks in the 2022 OHL draft). "We watched them dominate in their draft year and they played really well together," said Steelheads GM/coach James Richmond. "For us to get both of them at the deadline was part of the plan. It'll be fun to watch both of them." Both players have seen their offensive contributions rise since joining Mississauga and the familiarity has paid off on the ice. "We've had chemistry," Martone said. "It's definitely harder than last year, now playing against older guys, but if we keep working, we can keep doing great things." Listed at 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds already, there's a lot to like in Martone's game, especially since his October birthday means he won't be eligible for the NHL draft until 2025 - guaranteeing another year of OHL development. The Peterborough native likes to model his game after peak Corey Perry, citing the veteran's vision and reputation for being hard to play against specifically. With Sarnia, Martone actually took a fair number of penalties, and that has settled down since the trade to Mississauga, where he's higher up in the lineup. "I had a different role in Sarnia," he said. "I was playing on the fourth line, just trying to get into the other team's ear to distract them. Here, they've put me in a different role and I'm being more cautious." Nonetheless, when I went to see Martone recently in Mississauga, he got into it with Guelph defenseman Cam Allen at the end of the second period - so the kid is still gonna mix it up sometimes. And when it comes to toughness, Martone has the genes: His dad Mike Martone was a hard-nosed defenseman with the Peterborough Petes back in the day and was even drafted by the Buffalo Sabres before becoming a high school science teacher. "He taught me everything I know about hockey and has been my biggest supporter, along with my mom," Martone said. "He told me about the ins and outs of junior hockey and told me to live my own experience, so it's cool to follow in his footsteps." With the young Martone's power forward game, there's a very good chance he too gets drafted by an NHL team in a couple years – likely early on in the proceedings. "He's going to be a high-end first-round pick," Richmond said. "He's got NHL size, great hockey IQ, a great skill set and now he just needs to get stronger. It's a process you can't rush, so we'll keep teaching him and add to his game and watch him grow. He's a pretty special player." Martone knows he has a big summer ahead of him, too. From hitting the weight room to continuing to develop his skills and skating, he plans on getting stronger and faster in the off-season. And if he stays on his current track, Mississauga is going to hit that 'buyer' part of the cycle sooner than later.
