The Philadelphia Flyers have to be thrilled with how Porter Martone has been developing on the ice and in the gym.
The Philadelphia Flyers may not be terribly exciting to watch this season, but top prospect Porter Martone is offering some hope over in the NCAA with Michigan State University.
Martone, 19, ripped off a goal and an assist against Penn State on Saturday, helping Michigan State earn a 5-0 win over Gavin McKenna and Co. and sweeping both games against their opponent this weekend.
The Flyers' No. 6 overall pick is now up to four goals, seven assists, and 11 points in just eight games this season, but it's the work Martone has been putting in off the ice that should be exciting the Flyers and their fans.
According to Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects, Martone has lost 4% of his body fat while adding nine pounds of muscle in just a few months' time.
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"It’s not just weight. I feel stronger, more explosive. My muscle density is better. I can feel it in battles and around the net," Martone was quoted as saying by Robinson.
The 6-foot-3 winger can play with a mean streak at times, but adding the extra contact strength can help Martone add a whole new layer to his game when it comes to physical engagement and playing near the blue paint.
Ideally, Martone isn't the guy the Flyers have setting screens on the power play all the time at the NHL level, but having that ability certainly adds more variance to his game and to what the Flyers can do tactically.
When the Flyers sent Martone off to the NCAA, they were hoping their prized prospect would develop playing against older competition that plays at a higher level than the OHL while spending plenty of time in the gym filling out that 6-foot-3 frame.
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This Flyers prospect is starting to heat up for Lehigh Valley.
So far, Martone is still a point-per-game player despite all four of his goals coming in his last five games, and the weight and strength, as reported on by Robinson, have been coming along nicely.
The 19-year-old is already checking all the boxes for the Flyers, and perhaps we could see Martone make his NHL debut as soon as this spring.