LOS ANGELES, CAL – The Brampton Steelheads reached a new milestone at the 2025 NHL Draft as team captain Porter Martone was selected sixth overall by the Philadelphia Flyers. The pick makes Martone the highest-drafted player in franchise history, surpassing Alex Nylander, who went eighth overall to the Buffalo Sabres in 2016.
Martone, a 6-foot-3, 208-pound right-shot winger from Peterborough, Ontario, was widely regarded as one of the top power forwards in this year’s draft class. He dominated the 2024–25 season with the Steelheads, recording 98 points (37 goals, 61 assists) in just 57 games. His leadership and offensive skill helped push Brampton into the OHL playoff race and earned him the captain’s “C.”
Beyond his OHL success, Martone represented Canada at both the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship and the 2025 IIHF World Championship. In those tournaments, he skated alongside some of the NHL’s biggest stars, including Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon, gaining valuable experience against elite competition. Ranked as the No. 4 North American skater by NHL Central Scouting, Martone was projected as a top pick heading into draft night.
“They traded for me when I was 16-years-old. They’ve done a lot of development with me.”
Newest @NHLFlyers prospect Porter Martone discusses how he’s grown with the @OHLSteelheads 🎥 pic.twitter.com/2k2vCQwBxk
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) June 28, 2025
Martone becomes the sixth Steelheads player to be drafted in the first round of the NHL Draft and the third to be selected in the top ten, joining Nylander and Owen Tippett. He was the fifth forward and the fifth Canadian chosen in this year’s draft class.
For Brampton fans, Martone’s selection is another sign of the franchise’s growing reputation as a development hub for NHL talent. The Steelheads have now seen six players drafted in the first round and continue to be a pipeline of elite players for the NHL.
For more on Martone and the Steelheads, visit GTA Weekly Sports.
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