As their push for a berth in the Stanley Cup playoffs carries onward, the Philadelphia Flyers could soon find themselves welcoming reinforcements to the fold.
With Michigan State falling at the hands of Wisconsin in a 4-3 overtime loss, Porter Martone's first and only season in the NCAA has come to an end.
Now, all eyes are on the 2025 No. 6 overall pick, as he is widely expected to join the Flyers at the NHL level for the remainder of this season... once he signs an entry-level contract.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman believes the deal between Martone and the Flyers could be done as early as within the day.
"Wisconsin, they upset Michigan State tonight. I got a few notes from people who were covering that game that, keep an eye on Porter Martone," Friedman said in his latest "Saturday Headlines" segment for Sportsnet.
"People just said this one could move very quickly. That'll be something to keep an eye on over the next 24 to 48 hours."
Martone, 19, finished an impressive NCAA campaign with 25 goals, 25 assists, and 50 points in just 35 games, ending the season with six- and seven-game point streaks, respectively.
The Peterborough, Ontario, native's 1.43 points per game rank fourth in the nation, trailing only Gavin McKenna, T.J. Hughes, and Ethan Wyttenbach.
Only Wyttenbach was more efficient, and more productive offensively (59 points), amongst D+1 collegiate skaters.
It is important to note that, when Martone signs his entry-level contract with the Flyers, he will immediately burn one of the three years.
This is a common practice in the NHL these days, but understandably always harkens back to the Cutter Gauthier debacle.
Last season, prospect Alex Bump opted to finish his season on an AHL tryout with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms instead of wasting a year of his contract.
The Flyers will host the Dallas Stars at Xfinity Mobile Arena at 7 p.m. Sunday night, and while Martone and Michigan played fairly close by in Worcester, Mass., a quick turnaround and NHL debut would be a considerable feat for a player jumping from amateur hockey to the big leagues.
That said, Martone's NHL and Flyers debut is imminent.