MINNEAPOLIS – Porter Martone has not had a lot of down time this summer. After being selected sixth overall by the Philadelphia Flyers, he went to development camp and a short time later revealed that he had made a major decision about his hockey development.

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Martone spoke with the Flyers, his advisors and his family and announced last week that he had chosen to commit to Michigan State University. In doing so, he delayed signing his NHL contract with the Flyers until at least the spring and also said goodbye to the Brampton Steelheads organization for which he served as captain last season.

Now the 6-foot-3 winger is with Team Canada at the World Junior Summer Showcase in Minneapolis and had his first chance to talk about the big decision to commit to the Spartans. 

It's official: Porter Martone (PHI) is a Michigan State Spartan. https://t.co/sm62SzDEqc pic.twitter.com/5y1saxBzzk

— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) July 21, 2025

“It has been crazy after I got picked,” Martone said to assembled media at the World Junior Summer Showcase. “I always wanted to play in the NHL next year. After development camp we sat down and I just kind of weighed the pros and cons of everything."

Martone felt the pull of the NHL dream that he's had since he was a kid. He also knew it wasn't going to be guaranteed that he'd make the NHL team out of training camp. So he weighed his options further to explore all avenues of getting him where he wants to be on the appropriate schedule.

“Going to Michigan State is the next step in my hockey journey,” he said. “It’s going to help me become more of a full player, get some more time in the gym. I really like culture and the coaching staff they have there.”

Martone joins a recruiting class that is among the best in the nation with 2024 No. 4 overall pick Cayden Lindstrom (CBJ) and 2025 first-rounder Ryker Lee (NSH) among the players entering their first year in East Lansing. 

Despite the excitement Martone has for his next step, leaving Brampton and the OHL was not something he took lightly.

“It was not an easy decision to leave Brampton,” Martone said. “Ever since I was traded there, they’ve done so much for me. It is like a second home to me and a family. It was probably the one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make in my hockey career, but I think I went out on good terms with Brampton.”

Flyers GM Danny Briere had said that the team wanted to give Martone the space to make his own decision and do what he felt was best. Martone kept the team involved every step of the way.

“They were going to support me either way. If I did get the chance to go to  training camp and try to make the team, they were going to support that,” Martone said.

“At the same time, I sat down and thought with my camp, and I did include the Flyers as well, was what’s going to make me the best player five to 10 years down the road when the Flyers are trying to win the Stanley Cup?"

Before Martone can slap on the green and white at Michigan State, he’ll be wearing the familiar black and red of Team Canada, which he has worn frequently including at the 2025 World Junior and Men’s World Championships, at this week's World Junior Summer Showcase.

He is one of the players returning from last year’s team that bowed out in the quarterfinals and is motivated to change the result this time around. Martone should figure to be a prominent player on what will be a loaded Canadian roster for the 2026 World Junior Championship, which starts Dec. 26 in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn. 

Martone will be in action in Canada's split-squad game scheduled for Tuesday evening.

World Junior Summer Showcase Game Schedule

Sunday, July 27

• USA White vs. Finland, 1 p.m. CT
• USA Blue vs. Sweden, 4:30 p.m. CT

Monday, July 28

• Finland vs. USA Blue, 1 p.m. CT
• Sweden vs. USA White, 4:30 p.m. CT

Tuesday, July 29

• Canada Red vs. Canada White, 4:30 p.m. CT

Wednesday, July 30

• Sweden vs. USA, 1 p.m. CT
• Canada vs. Finland, 4:30 p.m. CT

Friday, Aug. 1

• Canada vs. Sweden, 1 p.m. CT
• Finland vs. USA, 4:30 p.m. CT

Saturday, Aug. 2

• Sweden vs. Finland, 1 p.m. CT
• USA vs. Canada, 4:30 p.m. CT

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