OHL fans, specifically supporters of the Brampton Steelheads, woke up to some unfortunate news on Monday. Another elite OHL player is potentially leaving the league to play in the NCAA for the 2025-26 season.
Elliotte Friedman reported via his X account that Steelheads captain Porter Martone is expected to commit to Michigan State University. It had been rumoured previously that the Philadelphia Flyers' sixth overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft was keeping all his options open for next season.
This move to the NCAA comes with little surprise. Martone finished well over a point-per-game last season, recording 98 points (37 goals, 61 assists) in 57 games, while also representing his nation's colors at the IIHF World Junior Championship and IIHF Men’s World Championship.
If the 6-foot-3 power forward does report to the NCAA, this means that Philadelphia fans will not see their new top prospect in the NHL next season.
Although the OHL and Steelheads would have loved to see number 94 return and create more highlight-reel goals in the 2025-26 season, playing against tougher opponents who are older, stronger, and faster, as well as teams that play with more structure, will be better for his development.
The Peterborough, Ontario native finishes his impressive three-year OHL career with 204 points (89 goals, 115 assists) in 178 games. He was the fifth-overall pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection and lived up to the hype.
Martone heads to Michigan State, which just produced the latest Hobey Baker winner, Isaac Howard, recently traded from the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for two-time OHL champion and Memorial Cup champion Sam O'Reilly. Additionally, he joins fellow Flyers prospect Shane Vansaghi and former OHL top goal scorer Anthony Romani.
Brampton has been hit hard by players leaving for the NCAA. Their third-best scorer in the regular season and top producer in the playoffs, Luke Misa, is bound for Penn State University to play alongside projected 2026 first-overall pick Gavin McKenna. And their number-one goaltender, Jack Ivankovic, is headed for the University of Michigan.
The Steelheads are going to look very different next year, and the club could be in for a rough season with all the bodies they have leaving.
(Top photo credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)
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