It’s a good feeling when you can see some talent in a young NHL Draft prospect in the coming years and then hitch your wagon to that player, to then have that guy turn into an absolute stud. Well, it turns out that some NHL players to the same little bit of pre-scouting for their team.
Porter Martone has been a godsend for this Philadelphia Flyers team. As soon as he joined them after his season with Michigan State was over, this team’s offense took a whole new look and felt so much more cohesive and dangerous. Finally, they have one of those highly coveted large wingers that can muck it up after the whistle, get to the dangerous areas of the ice, but also has all the soft skill needed to produce in the best hockey league in the world.
But it turns out, that the Flyers need to give some credit to one of their players for pushing to make that pick for their sixth-overall selection at last year’s NHL Draft.
Travis Konecny urged the Flyers to take Porter Martone in the Draft
Before the Philadelphia Flyers take on the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of this year’s playoffs in what should be an entertaining series, winger Travis Konecny revealed that he actually urged the Flyers to grab Martone after seeing him at the World Championships last year.
Konecny on Martone: "Of course he's special. High draft pick, he's got a lot of talent. I knew then too (at World Championships last year). I told Danny and Jonesy that he was going to be a good player. I wanted them to draft him."
— Charlie O'Connor (@charlieo_conn) April 16, 2026
“Of course he’s special. High draft pick, he’s got a lot of talent. I knew then too (at World Championships last year). I told Danny and Jonesy that he was going to be a good player. I wanted them to draft him,” Konecny said via PHLY’s Charlie O’Connor.
Konecny and Martone were teammates on Team Canada at the World Championships last year, and actually in some pre-tournament action, were linemates. The veteran Flyers winger got a real close-up look at the newest member of his team even before he was drafted and apparently that was enough to push the Flyers brass to make the pick.
Considering that Martone made the rare jump for a draft-eligible player to then go play with a bunch of NHLers in an international tournament, it was immediately obvious just how mature and well-rounded his game was. Now, after a year of development in the NCAA, he’s ready to go on a killing spree and has more than impressed in his first little stretch in the NHL.
Through nine games, Martone has scored four goals and 10 points, and even has an outrageous 32 shots on goal. Heck, he even has two blocks and 16 hits to go along with two power-play goals, as well. Just to paint a clear picture of just how dominant and helpful he has been to the Flyers. The team has gone 6-3-0 since his arrival.
And now, he’s about to step foot into the NHL playoffs in what has been a crazy year for him already. In the last 12 months, he’s gone from the OHL playoffs to the World Championships, to being drafted at sixth overall, to then playing a full season of college hockey and the NCAA tournament, making his NHL debut and dominating, and now the playoffs.
Do we all have Travis Konecny to thank for this? Maybe. He might just be the next super scout after he hangs up the skates.
