Plenty of signs point towards the Seattle Kraken using the eighth overall selection on a defenseman, but if they are looking to draft the best available, and Porter Martone was there at eight, they could be all over it. 

Listed at 6'3, 207 lbs, Martone is a physically imposing winger with the skill to match. Martone was considered a top-three pick for most of the season, but as the draft inches closer and the teams inside the top 10 are looking to solidify the center ice position, Martone has seen his name occasionally fall, although he's still expected to land inside the top five.

Playing in the OHL with the Brampton Steelheads, the 18-year-old scored 37 goals and 98 points in 57 games, forming a formidable duo with Kraken prospect Carson Rehkopf. Martone also played on Canada's World Junior team, scoring one goal in three games and for Canada's World Championship team, failing to record a point in the two games he played. 

The Peterborough, ON native, is known as a power forward, willing to mix it up physically and be a disruptive forward. With the puck, Martone is a playmaker. 

"While Martone is known as a power forward, it’s more accurate to describe him as a playmaker. The patterns of the game seem imprinted in his mind. Constantly scanning the ice and knowing his teammates’ tendencies, system’s rotations, and the expected movements of defenders, he stays connected with linemates, avoids coverage, and puts himself in advantageous spots to make the next play. He builds deft passing plays, moves ahead of the opposition, and preys on defenders’ and goalies’ expectations, manipulating them to open up great scoring possibilities," EliteProspects 2025 NHL Draft Guide. 

Martone has been rumoured to add to the long list of CHL players to make the transition to the NCAA, although no formal agreement has been made.

If the Kraken elected to draft Martone, he would be a perfect linemate for any of Shane Wright, Matty Beniers or Berkly Catton. His game should translate to the NHL quite easily and should be very successful in the playoffs.

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