Despite Not Recording a Point, Porter Martone Impressed in Debut: ‘You Can Tell He’s Got It’
Flyers right wing Porter Martone (94) waits for a face-off during his first NHL debut game during the Philadelphia Flyers versus Washington Capitals National Hockey League game on March 31, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
When a prospect makes their debut in the National Hockey League, usually a nice welcome during a light time, whether with an eliminated team or starting at the beginning of the season.
For Flyers’ prospect Porter Martone, though, he has the opportunity to feel twice the nerves, as he joins the Flyers during a crucial point in the season, as they came into tonight two points out of the second wild card spot. With Martone joining the squad at the climax of the playoff push in the Eastern Conference, the Flyers absolutely needed him to put on a show Tuesday night in Washington, D.C., despite it being his first career game.
Though Martone did not record a point, there was a lot to look at optimistically, despite the loss to the Capitals on the road. Martone especially looked solid with his skating, as with his huge frame, skating is not prominent. Despite that, Martone was faster than many on the ice during his time and showed passion and hustle the entire game. Through the harsh reality of getting knocked down and even losing a chicklet, Martone kept his head up and continued to skate harder than anyone else on the ice.
“I thought as the game went on, I thought he really started to come,” Rick Tocchet said after the game. “Told him to relax early on… He’s had a whirlwind of the last week, and I’d like this game.”
READ MORE ON MARTONE:
It’s unfortunate that the Flyers’ momentum slowed down and ran out of gas, but Martone is very confident and optimistic about his play with the Flyers, as he feels he has already felt the speed of the game at the NHL level.
“It took a couple shifts to get my feet wet, you know, you are adjusting to the NHL level,” Martone said postgame. “We got one early in the third, and I think [we] just got better after that… it’s a tough loss, but I think we can improve.”
The line of Christian Dvorak, Travis Konecny, and Martone did, in fact, get better, as when everyone else slowed down, they continued to skate hard and create possible chances to tie the game. Although they unfortunately came up short, the chances were there, especially for Martone, who had five shots, and there is more to come down the line. Just looking at the chances emits hope for a better showing in these last handful of games for the Flyers, where Martone will hopefully get acclimated to the fullest with his new linemates and teammates.
“He’s going to score,” Tocchet said. “You can tell he’s got it.”
Regarding how he fits into not only this team but the entire league, Martone feels strongly about his style, given his frame and strength. Since he is 6’3″ and 210 pounds, he has the ability to play a physical game, which is half of the game inside the NHL. There are a lot of big units, especially in the Eastern Conference, but Martone has no fear in facing them. The Capitals threw bodies around like crazy on Tuesday, but Martone stood tall and refused to be knocked down, showing signs of the toughness the Flyers need.
“Definitely bigger guys, but I think that’s something I can thrive in… that’s kinda the way I like to play,” Martone said. “[Tocchet] kinda gave me a piece of his systems but also said ‘play your game,’ I think it did get a lot better.”
Luke Raidy
Luke has covering the the Flyers and Phillies for Philly Sports Reports since 2025. He is a junior at North Penn and being a huge Philly sports fan has brought so many experiences, such as going to the NLDS, NLCS, and even the World Series in 2022. He has also met former superstars in the city of Philadelphia, such as Wayne Simmonds from the Flyers. Though being a student-athlete, Luke enjoys his time where he is writing and reporting on Philadelphia sports.
Get New Articles Emailed Right To Your Inbox:
