F Porter Martone - Mississauga Steelheads, OHL (2025 Draft)

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I don't see Tkachuk at all.

Martone is physical, but he's not a shit disturber. He also doesn't skate as well.

Martone skates a lot better than Matt Tkachuk.

Tkachuk is a terrible skater. If he was a good skater, he’d be the second best player in the NHL.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Martone isn't a burner but I definitely wouldn't call him slow or say that skating is a problem. More like his energy/pace/effort/motor/whatever you want to call it waxes and wanes.

 

[frontsfan67]

I see a lot of people saying he's a clone of Matthew Tkatchuk. In your opinion, what is this boy's ceiling? Tkatchuk-lite or Tkatchuk-plus?

Watched both play in junior. Very close but martone may be better.

Hard to sample Matthew Tkachuk who only played the 1 year in London with maybe the best junior line ever in Mitch marner and Christian Dvorak AND one of the best teams of all time too. That line was UNSTOPPABLE- wish I could experience that again.

Very close though no doubt and whoever gets martone whether it’s 1-4 is going to get an unreal talent

 

[Steve Kournianos]

Benched for the entire 3rd period against Latvia and not looking like he belongs. Had a handful of turnovers in limited time. He needs a bounceback effort against Germany.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Unable to find him. Hagens destroying him.

 

[jtechkid]

Unable to find him. Hagens destroying him.

Maybe CHL is overated a bit especially with the depth of players . The CHL has 58 teams in which their are not that many high end kids in Canada to fill the rosters . To prove my point majority of USHL - BCHL are ripping up the CHL with little issues . This is first year ever you had large numbers of kids join CHL from other league where you can compare statistics . Martone is not high end skater and his stats probably inflated a bit because OHL is dramatically easier to score than NCAA or even USHL . Hagens is dramatically more dynamic - safer pick than Martone and its not even close .

 

[FLAMESFAN]

Maybe CHL is overated a bit especially with the depth of players . The CHL has 58 teams in which their are not that many high end kids in Canada to fill the rosters . To prove my point majority of USHL - BCHL are ripping up the CHL with little issues . This is first year ever you had large numbers of kids join CHL from other league where you can compare statistics . Martone is not high end skater and his stats probably inflated a bit because OHL is dramatically easier to score than NCAA or even USHL . Hagens is dramatically more dynamic - safer pick than Martone and its not even close .

I've been disappointed in Martone's performance so far, but your post is pretty silly.

 

[jtechkid]

I've been disappointed in Martone's performance so far, but your post is pretty silly.

why is it silly? - The CHL people are in denial but most of kids leaving ushl and bchl are ripping up the CHL which common sense tells you its still the best league(ohl-whl) but its more offense than ushl and low end depth(bottom half) is not really great . The stats prove it .

 

[FLAMESFAN]

Canada produces more high end talent than any other country, that is indisputable, and saying otherwise is a silly comment. Saying that it is easier to score in the CHL than the USHL is a silly comment. Sorry, but I'm not buying that the USHL is a better league than the WHL/OHL. I'd think the Q would be on par, and as an example there that I would be more familiar with is Gridin, who did statistically better lastyear in the USHL than this year in the Q.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

Canada produces more high end talent than any other country, that is indisputable, and saying otherwise is a silly comment. Saying that it is easier to score in the CHL than the USHL is a silly comment. Sorry, but I'm not buying that the USHL is a better league than the WHL/OHL. I'd think the Q would be on par, and as an example there that I would be more familiar with is Gridin, who did statistically better lastyear in the USHL than this year in the Q.

USHL combined GPG is 6.38
WHL combined GPG is 7.19
OHL combined GPG is 7.17
QMJHL combined GPG is 6.50

So technically, it’s easier to score in the CHL than the USHL.

 

[OSA]

why is it silly? - The CHL people are in denial but most of kids leaving ushl and bchl are ripping up the CHL which common sense tells you its still the best league(ohl-whl) but its more offense than ushl and low end depth(bottom half) is not really great . The stats prove it .

As has been noted by many others, at the goaltending position, the CHL does not have a talent advantage over the other leagues, and in fact, may even sometimes fall a bit short in comparison

At every other position, however, there is a distinct advantage in the CHL.

What you’re noticing is ex-BCHL/USHL players now getting opportunities with much higher calibre teammates BUT against similar/slightly less good goaltending than they were previously accustomed to.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Canada produces more high end talent than any other country, that is indisputable, and saying otherwise is a silly comment. Saying that it is easier to score in the CHL than the USHL is a silly comment. Sorry, but I'm not buying that the USHL is a better league than the WHL/OHL. I'd think the Q would be on par, and as an example there that I would be more familiar with is Gridin, who did statistically better lastyear in the USHL than this year in the Q.

The USHL produces more draft picks than the Q every year.

 

[landy92mack29]

The USHL produces more draft picks than the Q every year.

draft picks especially after the 3rd round mean literally nothing, how many get elcs does. With the change in CHL/ncaa we'll see how the draft changes but until now nhl teams from the 4-7 rounds lean heavy NCAA/europe because they have the rights for longer and can develop more years before they have to sign them and turn pro. There's only a handful of ushl players who would be drafted if they were playing in the chl and didn't have that advantage. The CHL is a vastly superior league(especially WHL+OHL) to the USHL. We've had plenty of players go from our team(AJHL/BCHL) down to the USHL on be top players that would be depth chlers at best. Scoring is higher in the CHL because there's way more talent+skill vs many plays that die in the ushl because most players there can't process fast enough. That's especially apparent this year watching it more keeping track of a few of our former players.


As for Martone I hope he can get a bigger role and replace Pinelli on the McKenna+Catton line if they don't move Yager there.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

Bob McKenzie predicted Martone as a healthy scratch against Germany since his Brampton teammate Rehkopf was just added. Personally I’d say put them on a PP line together and ditch Howe, but that’s just me.

Still, I get being stubborn for a kid you like, but there simply is no justification ranking Martone ahead of Hagens and Schaefer. At least up to this point. He’s looked like shit far too often.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

draft picks especially after the 3rd round mean literally nothing, how many get elcs does. With the change in CHL/ncaa we'll see how the draft changes but until now nhl teams from the 4-7 rounds lean heavy NCAA/europe because they have the rights for longer and can develop more years before they have to sign them and turn pro. There's only a handful of ushl players who would be drafted if they were playing in the chl and didn't have that advantage. The CHL is a vastly superior league(especially WHL+OHL) to the USHL. We've had plenty of players go from our team(AJHL/BCHL) down to the USHL on be top players that would be depth chlers at best. Scoring is higher in the CHL because there's way more talent+skill vs many plays that die in the ushl because most players there can't process fast enough. That's especially apparent this year watching it more keeping track of a few of our former players.


As for Martone I hope he can get a bigger role and replace Pinelli on the McKenna+Catton line if they don't move Yager there.

I don’t think we should paint with a broad brush. The three CHL leagues aren’t the same caliber.

I think when you split things apart the WHL and OHL are better than the USHL and the USHL is better than the QMJHL.

 

[FLAMESFAN]

I don’t think we should paint with a broad brush. The three CHL leagues aren’t the same caliber.

I think when you split things apart the WHL and OHL are better than the USHL and the USHL is better than the QMJHL.

I would love to see the USHL be part of the Mem Cup. Would be real interesting to see how they do.

 

[jtechkid]

Bob McKenzie predicted Martone as a healthy scratch against Germany since his Brampton teammate Rehkopf was just added. Personally I’d say put them on a PP line together and ditch Howe, but that’s just me.

Still, I get being stubborn for a kid you like, but there simply is no justification ranking Martone ahead of Hagens and Schaefer. At least up to this point. He’s looked like shit far too often.

Like I said he has zero shot going top 2 over those two - his pace is major concern and puts “ bust “ into equation

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

Bob McKenzie predicted Martone as a healthy scratch against Germany since his Brampton teammate Rehkopf was just added. Personally I’d say put them on a PP line together and ditch Howe, but that’s just me.

Still, I get being stubborn for a kid you like, but there simply is no justification ranking Martone ahead of Hagens and Schaefer. At least up to this point. He’s looked like shit far too often.

The coaching staff in this tournament is making one bizarre decision after another. I feel like maybe the outcome of what the Canadian players look like should be taken with a big grain of salt.

The coach seems to have a strong preference for 2-way checking bottom 6 players over skilled offensive difference makers. Canada is coached like the current version of the New York Islanders.

Martone can still rise in the rankings with a strong second half.

 

[IHaveNoCreativity]

Don’t think he looked bad, he was solid against Finland.

I can’t chalk his scratch up to performance when there are just so many mind boggling things going on. Like Nadeau hasn’t done anything…. And Bonk is being forced as a PP QB… RepKof scratched, yeah no I’m not reading into this.

Also, how many non ntdp draft picks are in the ushl now a days ?

 

[jtechkid]

draft picks especially after the 3rd round mean literally nothing, how many get elcs does. With the change in CHL/ncaa we'll see how the draft changes but until now nhl teams from the 4-7 rounds lean heavy NCAA/europe because they have the rights for longer and can develop more years before they have to sign them and turn pro. There's only a handful of ushl players who would be drafted if they were playing in the chl and didn't have that advantage. The CHL is a vastly superior league(especially WHL+OHL) to the USHL. We've had plenty of players go from our team(AJHL/BCHL) down to the USHL on be top players that would be depth chlers at best. Scoring is higher in the CHL because there's way more talent+skill vs many plays that die in the ushl because most players there can't process fast enough. That's especially apparent this year watching it more keeping track of a few of our former players.


As for Martone I hope he can get a bigger role and replace Pinelli on the McKenna+Catton line if they don't move Yager there.

I talked to a dad who’s kid went from bchl to ohl and he said pace was little faster but had zero issues with it and is doing great . He thought the league would be lot better and was nervous . this is really first year you have seen large movement because of the rule change which shows chl is not “ vastly” superior to the ushl or even bchl lol . Its a better league but its statistically impossible to have that many kids go and the majority are doing great . if it was a “ vastly” superior league they would have hard time getting in lineup- thats not the case .

 

[WarriorofTime]

draft picks especially after the 3rd round mean literally nothing, how many get elcs does. With the change in CHL/ncaa we'll see how the draft changes but until now nhl teams from the 4-7 rounds lean heavy NCAA/europe because they have the rights for longer and can develop more years before they have to sign them and turn pro. There's only a handful of ushl players who would be drafted if they were playing in the chl and didn't have that advantage.

This is massive copium, lol. If you draft a 17 year old CHL kid, you get two years of slide (or just not signing yet if you're assessing if they're worth an ELC) and then 3 years of ELC/Waiver-Exempt. Lately I've seen 19 year old kids get drafted, play an overage season, sign a 1-year AHL then and then if they're progressing OK, get aged 22 two-year ELC. Prospect/contract/AHL spots only get crowded for teams that spend 3 years rebuilding and accumulate a boatload of excess picks in the first three rounds. Teams all over the leagues have total nothings later picks rotting away in the AHL. At that point, you're already in the "what the hell" phase of the draft, so what do you care if you have a shorter shotclock to sign a kid. You have a pretty good sense in two years if a kid is a player that's going to be worth throwing an ELC to by then. If teams like a player, they'll take a flier on them regardless of where they play. I did a random spot check and 13 CHL kids went in the 5th round last draft.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Also, how many non ntdp draft picks are in the ushl now a days ?

They aren’t counted towards the numbers. If they were, it would have the most draft picks of any junior league most years I’m pretty sure.

 

[WarriorofTime]

I talked to a dad who’s kid went from bchl to ohl and he said pace was little faster but had zero issues with it and is doing great . He thought the league would be lot better and was nervous . this is really first year you have seen large movement because of the rule change which shows chl is not “ vastly” superior to the ushl or even bchl lol . Its a better league but its statistically impossible to have that many kids go and the majority are doing great . if it was a “ vastly” superior league they would have hard time getting in lineup- thats not the case .

The biggest difference between USHL and the Canadian Junior Leagues is the best kids leave the USHL before they're 18 and then another good crop leave before 19 to go to their NCAA teams, whereas the CHL kids are there through 19 except the 3 or so kids across 60 teams that make the NHL. At the end of the day, they're all junior players, the CHL still does a good job of getting most of the best Canadians and some good imports from the non-Finland and Sweden (getting Russian kids back will help the quality as well) and usually a few good Americans every year as well.

The high-end of the CHL is not really in too much dispute, but the barrier of entry is something that gets yada yada yada'd into that too easily. A lot of kids essentially riding coattails of Crosby, McDavid or [insert 1st overall pick] here.... Guy like landy is probably focused on who was good enough to be on a WHL Draft radar when they were 14 years old. Take a player like Devon Toews, small at that age and not considered a top kid in the Western Canada region. So he goes to the BCHL and focuses on the college path rather than trying to sneak his way onto a WHL roster (as some kids do). At what point in his hockey is he among the top kids in the Western Canada region. Not at 14 sure, fast forward to now when he's 30 and he's on the Canada 4 Nations Roster. Guy like landy probably would have said when he's 17 and BCHL all rookie team that he's not good enough. Then when he get drafted at 19 would say he only got drafted because they can hold his rights longer. But he's probably wrong, and D. Toews is likely already at the least amongst the kids good enough to play in the WHL by 17 which is three years after the kids from Bantam were being drafted, but already went a different path by then.

 

[landy92mack29]

I talked to a dad who’s kid went from bchl to ohl and he said pace was little faster but had zero issues with it and is doing great . He thought the league would be lot better and was nervous . this is really first year you have seen large movement because of the rule change which shows chl is not “ vastly” superior to the ushl or even bchl lol . Its a better league but its statistically impossible to have that many kids go and the majority are doing great . if it was a “ vastly” superior league they would have hard time getting in lineup- thats not the case .

and what kid is that?

we've had one kid leave our team and go to the QMJHL, ppg went from 0.75 to 0.45. There's more than just points though

 

[HoweFan]

How many teams are in the USHL