(Header/feature image courtesy of Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)
The Philadelphia Flyers’ top draft pick is reportedly going Spartan.
According to Elliotte Friedman, Porter Martone, selected sixth overall by Philadelphia in the 2025 NHL Draft, has committed to play the upcoming season at Michigan State University. The move adds another intriguing layer to Martone’s development path—and brings a growing Flyers flavor to East Lansing.
Martone, a 6-foot-3 power forward with silky hands and a sniper’s touch, joins a Spartans program on the rise—and he won’t be alone. Also on Michigan State is Shane Vansaghi, Philadelphia’s fifth-round selection in the same 2025 draft. Together, they’ll bring size, scoring, and a serious Flyers connection to a roster that already has ties to the organization.
Karsen Dorwart, a standout Michigan State alum, played five games with the Flyers at the tail end of last season and impressed with his poise and maturity. Now, Martone and Vansaghi will be looking to follow a similar path, carving out their own NHL futures through the high-caliber, high-expectation environment of NCAA hockey.
For Martone, who was previously playing in the OHL with the Brampton Steelheads, and possesses an enviable combination of size, skill, and smarts, the move signals a deliberate step forward. The NCAA schedule will give him time and space to round out his game, especially off the puck, while still facing elite competition and top-tier coaching. He’s already got NHL tools—this year is about sharpening them.
And with a fellow Flyers prospect beside him, and a pipeline beginning to form in green and white, East Lansing is about to become must-watch territory for Flyers fans this winter.