Michigan State freshman star Porter Martone isn’t looking at this weekend’s two-game showdown against Penn State through an individual lens.
While many hockey fans might be focusing on the Martone-versus-Gavin-McKenna angle, that storyline won’t be on the Philadelphia Flyers first-round pick’s mind during Friday and Saturday’s Big Ten games between the No. 1-ranked Spartans and No. 3 Nittany Lions in East Lansing, Mich.
“I’ve played with him at a couple events. He’s special,” the former Brampton Steelheads winger said in a telephone interview this week. “But for me, we don’t really trash talk or anything. I’m focused on what we’re doing here at Michigan State. I think we’ve just got to come out and play our game. I think if we do that, we’ve got a good chance at being successful.”
Make no mistake, though, weekends like this are what the six-foot-three Martone, 19, craved when he made the decision in July to play for Michigan State, weeks after being picked sixth overall by the Flyers in the NHL Draft.
Several weeks earlier, McKenna, 17, decided the NCAA also was best for him, leaving the Memorial Cup runner-up Medicine Hat Tigers to join Penn State as he bids to be picked first overall in next year’s NHL Draft.
Both players have lived up their billings. McKenna is tied for first among NCAA freshmen with 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 10 games, while Martone also is putting up very impressive numbers (three goals, six assists in six games).
With just-drafted players not eligible to play in the AHL until next season, Martone had to decide between going to camp with the Flyers and trying to make the NHL team — with the potential of being sent back to junior — or playing a year of U.S. college hockey.
“I sat down with my agents and the Flyers staff after development camp and tried to think what’s the best option for me to reach my full potential in five, 10 years when I’m in my prime,” he said. “At the end of the day, it was a really tough decision. Obviously, you want to go to an NHL training camp and put your best foot forward to make the NHL but also there’s different circumstances. You can go play college hockey (after a rule change this season opened the door for CHL players).
“When I sat down, I thought a year in the weight room and a year practising five days a week was going to be best for my development. I made the decision to come to Michigan State and it’s been amazing so far. I couldn’t have had a better time here.”
This is not a one-size-fits-all situation.
Of the 16 North Americans drafted in the top 20 picks of the first round this year, three remain in the NHL, eight are in the CHL and five are in the NCAA. Of the eight in the CHL, two got in NHL games before being returned to their junior teams — Braeden Cootes (Vancouver Canucks, Seattle Thunderbirds) and Brady Martin (Nashville Predators, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds).
The ability to focus on off-ice work in top-notch facilities — he said director of athletic performance Will Morlock was one of the biggest draws of Michigan State — was appealing to Martone. So too was the heavy practice schedule and the chance to play against older players as a developing power forward.
“I did explore some options but when I came to Michigan State for my visit, talking to coach (Adam) Nightingale, kind of the philosophy they have here, they’re really down-to-earth people,” Martone said. “I really respect everyone and just kind of the culture they have here. The big thing for me was nothing was going to be given to me. That’s something I really liked. … Nothing’s given to everyone. You’ve got to work for it.”
That has to be the case with a whopping 15 NHL Draft picks on the Spartans roster. Add in the atmosphere in rinks when playing power-conference behemoths like Penn State and Michigan — Martone often played in front of sparse crowds in Brampton — and you can see why Michigan State would be attractive.
“Just coming to the college atmosphere, the band playing, the student section, I wasn’t really used to that in junior hockey,” Martone said. “I was just kind of excited to step in right away and get used to the rowdy atmosphere and the college-hockey feel.”
Meanwhile, it’s expected Martone and McKenna will put on the same uniform again next month at the Canadian world junior training camp in Niagara Falls, Ont.
Both players were part of last year’s team in Ottawa that was eliminated in the quarterfinals for the second year in a row.
“Any time you put on the Canadian flag, you’re always expected to do the best and win a gold medal,” said Martone, who also got to play two games for Canada at the men’s world championship last spring. “Obviously to lose in the quarterfinals isn’t what we go for. … It was tough. There were some tears shed.
“But for me and everyone who was on that team who could get another shot at it, it’s a learning experience. We’re definitely going to have an attack mentality this year.”
Two top NCAA contenders got bad news this week.
Michigan, ranked No. 2, announced freshman defenceman and Calgary Flames prospect Henry Mews will miss the rest of the season with an injury after taking a knee-on-knee hit against Notre Dame last week.
Meanwhile, Penn State said third-year forward and Nashville Predators prospect Aiden Fink will be out for the foreseeable future with an upper-body injury. Fink was a Hobey Baker finalist last season.
Meanwhile, veteran OHL broadcaster Terry Doyle reported 2026 NHL Draft prospect Alessandro Di Iorio of the Sarnia Sting is close to returning from an elbow injury and making his season debut. The forward was picked to play in the CHL USA Prospects Challenge later this month.
Friday, Nov. 7: Denver Pioneers (4-3-1) at Western Michigan Broncos (5-3), 7 p.m. ET
The reigning national champion Broncos were trounced 5-1 at St. Cloud State on Saturday and are fourth in this week’s USCHO rankings heading into a two-game series vs. No. 9 Denver. San Jose Sharks prospect and Denver blue-liner Eric Pohlkamp (five goals, four assists in eight games) is fourth among NCAA defencemen in scoring.
Friday, Nov. 7: Brantford Bulldogs (13-0-2-1) at Oshawa Generals (5-12-0-0), 7:05 p.m. ET
It’s Maple Leafs first-round pick Ben Danford’s first game back in Oshawa, Ont. since he was traded to the powerhouse Bulldogs last week. The defenceman was captain of the two-time reigning Eastern Conference champion Generals, who are now in rebuild mode.
Saturday, Nov. 8: Halifax Mooseheads (10-5-1-0) at Charlottetown Islanders (11-4-1-3), 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. AT
The opener of a home-and-home series between two of the top teams in the QMJHL’s Eastern Conference. Charlottetown blue-liner Marcus Kearsey (seven goals, 11 assists in 17 games) is second in scoring among defencemen in the Q.
Saturday, Nov. 8: U17 World Challenge final at Truro, N.S., 7:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. AT
The final of an international tourney featuring two Canadian teams. Saint John Sea Dogs star Alexis Joseph had three goals and an assist for Canada Red in its opener, while Regina Pats Western Canadian Developmental Model rookies Liam Pue (two goals, three assists) and Maddox Schultz (three goals) led Canada White to victory in its first game.
Tuesday, Nov. 11: Prince Albert Raiders (10-0-3-0) at Everett Silvertips (13-1-1-0), 10:05 p.m. ET / 7:05 p.m. PT
Two of the top teams in the WHL square off. The Silvertips haven’t missed a beat despite star defenceman Landon DuPont being out of the lineup since Oct. 19 because of injury.
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