2025 NHL Draft: Lose a ton for Porter Martone

[weastern bias]

Simpleton logic for simpleton, I guess

Make a reasonable case the one dimensional power winger who has never made the playoffs, doesn't make his linemates better and plays zero defense is a difference maker, I'm always welcome to having my mind changed

 

[Sharksfan66]

No more than landing Will Smith in 2023.

Look at him now. Production wise, he is having a comparable season to both Fantili and Carlsson rookie seasons.

A couple of people comparing Martone's engagement away from the puck to Smith in here, so this isn't to you specifically, but I guess I'd ask everyone, do we want more of that in our top 6?

I really like Smith and believe his exceptional talent will make up for it, but I don't think it's a good idea to grab another player like that and it doesn't seem like a Grier pick to me aside from the whole size thing. Grier loves his guys with a motor and with the way Martone and Hagens are falling, it wouldn't shock me to see him go for someone else if we land at 3.

A lot of time to go before the draft, but the idea that Martone or Hagens is our consolation prize if we land at 3 seems hasty to me at this point.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Martone is much better defensively than Smith, full stop. He's a better skater than Smith too, full stop. Don't get it twisted.

 

[Sharksfan66]

Martone is much better defensively than Smith, full stop. He's a better skater than Smith too, full stop. Don't get it twisted.

It's funny that you say this because I was just listening to a podcast today where the scouts compared Martone's play away from the puck to Smith, I believe. I'll see if I can dig it up for interaction here.

 

[Juxtaposer]

It's funny that you say this because I was just listening to a podcast today where the scouts compared Martone's play away from the puck to Smith, I believe. I'll see if I can dig it up for interaction here.

I am wildly curious who is making this claim. Martone is certainly no Selke candidate and he isn't a high-energy puck-retriever, so he's like Smith in that regard, but simply by being bigger and stronger and faster and knowing where the defensive zone is (love Will, but he's very bad defensively) he is competent defensively. I'd project him as average defensively for a winger.

I have no idea who is bringing up notorious defensive zero Brady Tkachuk in this thread as someone we should be pursuing, but if you don't like Martone I don't see how you can like Brady. Brady is slow, poor defensively, and has effort and consistency issues. Martone has no flaws that Brady doesn't either.

If all of your players are hard-nosed puck-hounds like Eklund and Celebrini, you have a very boring and simplistic team. Toffoli is usually the guy lurking high in the zone while Celebrini and Eklund forecheck and that combo of guys works well. Replace Toffoli with Martone and it's even better.

 

[hohosaregood]

Make a reasonable case the one dimensional power winger who has never made the playoffs, doesn't make his linemates better and plays zero defense is a difference maker, I'm always welcome to having my mind changed

it's always so weird when players are prematurely proclaimed to be playoff warriors. it really is more likely that he's a guy who won't be able to keep his emotions under control and just take so many stupid penalties.

 

[Sharksfan66]

I am wildly curious who is making this claim. Martone is certainly no Selke candidate and he isn't a high-energy puck-retriever, so he's like Smith in that regard, but simply by being bigger and stronger and faster and knowing where the defensive zone is (love Will, but he's very bad defensively) he is competent defensively. I'd project him as average defensively for a winger.

I have no idea who is bringing up notorious defensive zero Brady Tkachuk in this thread as someone we should be pursuing, but if you don't like Martone I don't see how you can like Brady. Brady is slow, poor defensively, and has effort and consistency issues. Martone has no flaws that Brady doesn't either.

If all of your players are hard-nosed puck-hounds like Eklund and Celebrini, you have a very boring and simplistic team. Toffoli is usually the guy lurking high in the zone while Celebrini and Eklund forecheck and that combo of guys works well. Replace Toffoli with Martone and it's even better.

Gosh, I was out for a run and had a few different draft related podcasts come on so I can't remember off hand which it was. I know there were multiple people on it because one guy said, he's not as bad as Smith and they kind of laughed at that point, but I believe the base comparison was around how he tends to fly the zone and cheat for offense and doesn't seem super engaged when he doesn't have the puck on his stick.

I'm not looking for a seek winning winger at 3/4, but *if* Martone is cheating for offense, I wonder how much his ability to put up points will translate to the NHL. Do you have any concerns about that? Or do you see him as more of a Brady Tkachuk player? That comparison is an intersting one, as Brady has never really moved the needle for me, outside the 4 Nations tourney.


Edit: here's the first podcast I listened to today and I was shocked at how negative McCagg was about Martone, though I just reskimmed it and I don't think that's where the Smith comparison came from.

 

[Grinner]

A couple of people comparing Martone's engagement away from the puck to Smith in here, so this isn't to you specifically, but I guess I'd ask everyone, do we want more of that in our top 6?

I really like Smith and believe his exceptional talent will make up for it, but I don't think it's a good idea to grab another player like that and it doesn't seem like a Grier pick to me aside from the whole size thing. Grier loves his guys with a motor and with the way Martone and Hagens are falling, it wouldn't shock me to see him go for someone else if we land at 3.

A lot of time to go before the draft, but the idea that Martone or Hagens is our consolation prize if we land at 3 seems hasty to me at this point.

Grier was the only one I read who praised Smiths work habits/ motor.