NHL draft: Flyers select Porter Martone sixth, trade up to take Jack Nesbitt with 12th pick; latest rumors
The 2025 NHL draft kicked off with the first round tonight on ESPN, and the Flyers took Martone before making a deal with the Penguins
The first round of the 2025 NHL draft is underway from Los Angeles.
With their first pick of the night, No. 6 overall, the Flyers selected winger Porter Martone.
The Flyers then traded their other two first-round picks (Nos. 22 and 31) to the Penguins in order to move up to No. 12 and draft center Jack Nesbitt.
The Flyers also traded for Trevor Zegras earlier this week. Here's five things to know about Zegras and his video-game moves.
What the Flyers are getting in Porter Martone
With the sixth pick in the first round of the 2025 NHL draft, the Flyers took Brampton Steelheads winger Porter Martone, who had an additional meeting with the Flyers this week in Voorhees, and talked with the brass on Friday morning.
So what are the Flyers getting in Martone?
“I think on fit, Martone is a great fit for the Flyers. He adds size to the organization when they need it,” The Athletic’s NHL draft analyst Scott Wheeler told The Inquirer at the NHL scouting combine. “He’s got legit, dynamic skill for a 6-foot-3, 205-pound forward. He’s been a leader, he’s worn the ‘C’ for Hockey Canada [the gold medal-winning squad at U18s], all of that. But I do wonder whether they’ve got enough right-shot wingers and, just like taking Jett Luchanko a year ago, whether the priority is still to build through the middle.”
Meredith Gaudreau gets standing ovation before announcing Blue Jackets' pick
Each NHL team brought out a special fan or player to make their first round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft — for the Flyers, it was Charles Barkley and Brandon Graham appearing via live stream. But the Columbus Blue Jackets’ pick earned by far the biggest applause of the night — Meredith Gaudreau, wife of Johnny Gaudreau, who died last August in Salem County, N.J.
Gaudreau thanked every fanbase and franchise for the support they showed to the Gaudreau family after the deaths of Johnny and his brother Matthew, and got emotional on stage making Columbus’ pick at No. 14. The Blue Jackets selected defenseman Jackson Smith from the Tri-City Americans.
Who is Porter Martone? Get to know the new Flyers winger.
The Flyers’ first pick in the 2025 NHL Draft is in, and it’s Brampton Steelheads winger Porter Martone.
Here are five things to know about the newest Flyer:
He grew up liking the Flyers
Every pick from the first round of the 2025 NHL draft
Flyers fans react to the team trading up to the 12th pick
Flyers trade up with Penguins, select Jack Nesbitt with 12th pick
The Flyers passed on center at No. 6 but not for long, as Danny Briere and Co. pulled off a trade to move back up into the top half of the first round to select center Jack Nesbitt at No. 12.
The Flyers sent picks No. 22 and No. 31 to the rival Pittsburgh Penguins to get up to 12. Nesbitt isn't just a center, he's a big one at 6-foot-4 and 183 pounds. The 18-year-old has size, skill, and dare I say grit, and is coming off an Ontario Hockey League season in which he scored 25 goals and tallied 64 points in 65 games for Windsor.
Two-time Super Bowl champ Brandon Graham announced the pick for the Flyers, who, as it stands, are done for the night.
Watch 15 minutes of Porter Martone highlights
'He's the future of our team': Watch Rick Tochhet address Flyers fans after Martone pick
Shortly after the Flyers took Porter Martone with the sixth pick, new head coach Rick Tocchet was asked by 97.5 The Fanatic's John Kincade about the winger.
"I was in the war room, and when he fell to us ... the guys were jumping up and down," Tocchet said. "A big winger, tough, that can score ... great leadership, so he's going to be great in Orange and Black. He's going to be a guy — he's the future of our team."
Flyers fans react to team drafting Porter Martone
Flyers take winger Porter Martone with sixth pick
The Flyers did not select their No. 1 center of the future on Friday night, as they instead opted for top-ranked winger Porter Martone.
The announcement, which fittingly came from another power forward in former Sixer Charles Barkley, came as a little bit of a surprise, given the team's need down the middle.
But maybe it shouldn't have, as GM Danny Briere reiterated throughout the process that the team would take the "best player available." The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Martone is an elite playmaker and has the tools to develop into a power forward a la Corey Perry and Matthew Tkachuk. Last season for Brampton of the Ontario Hockey League, Martone tallied 37 goals and 98 points while captaining the Steelheads.
Predators go off the board with fifth pick
The Predators went off the board with their selection, grabbing Brady Martin from the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds.
Martin is a center known for his physical, two-way game, but NHL Central Scouting ranked him at 11. Flyers fans in Atlantic City were happy to see the Predators make that reach.
That leaves top targets James Hagens and Porter Martone still on the board for the Flyers at 6, who are now on the clock.
No Brotherly Love: Desnoyers goes two picks before Flyers
There will be no brothers reunion in Philadelphia, as the Utah Mammoth have selected Moncton center Caleb Desnoyers with the fourth pick.
Desnoyers, who is known for his two-way skill set and winning pedigree, was a potential target for the Flyers. His brother, Elliot, is currently a member of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
With Nashville still to pick before the Flyers, James Hagens, Porter Martone, Brady Martin, Jake O'Brien, and Roger McQueen remain on the board.
Swedish center Anton Frondell goes third to Chicago
While we await the Flyers' pick at No. 6, the Chicago Blackhawks have selected Swedish center Anton Frondell with the third pick. The Flyers' guest picker remains a mystery, but Chicago called on former Blackhawk and Flyer Jeremy Roenick to make their pick.
Frondell, who FloHockey's Chris Peters referred to as a "tank," had separated himself and become one of the top three in recent days.
Sharks take Michael Misa second after all
All that talk of the San Jose Sharks taking Anton Frondell over Michael Misa turned out to be a lot about nothing, as the Sharks stuck to the consensus and selected Misa with the second pick.
The high-scoring Misa lit the Ontario Hockey League up this season like very OHL players have before him. His 134 points (62 goals) were the most in the league since Patrick Kane racked up 145 points with London in 2006-07.
The Sharks, who have been down for the past several seasons, continue to stockpile high-end talent with Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, Sam Dickinson, and now Misa.
Islanders take emotional Matthew Schaefer with first pick
The Islanders selected defenseman Matthew Schaefer first overall, as expected.
The moment was especially emotional for Schaefer, whose mother died of breast cancer last year, when Schaefer was 16. His billet mom — a name for the family many junior hockey players board with — also died of apparent suicide just months before.
“There won’t be a dry eye in the house,” Schaefer’s father, Todd, said, and during Schaefer’s post-draft interview, those emotions came through.
New Flyer Trevor Zegras arrives at team's draft party
Danny Briere reiterates Flyers will take 'best player available'
While many have assumed the Flyers will draft a center with their first pick on Friday night, GM Danny Briere continues to say the team will take the best player available.
The odds are the pick will still be a center as six of the seven likeliest players at the spot play down the middle.
But does this add a little more credence to the recent talk the Flyers could go with winger Porter Martone? The Flyers did have the Brampton winger in for an extra visit this week. Hmm...
Panthers give Conn Smythe winner Sam Bennett an eight-year extension
The draft doesn't start until 7 p.m. but there was a collective groan around center-needy NHL war rooms about an hour before things kicked off in Los Angeles.
That was because Sam Bennett, the top unrestricted free agent center on the market, signed an extension to stay with the two-time defending champion Florida Panthers. The deal which works out to eight years at an $8 million average annual value, will likely see the Conn Smythe winner play out the remainder of his career in Sunrise.
While Bennett wasn't landing in Philly, it could have a trickle-down effect for teams looking for centers. We'll see if Marco Rossi trade talks heat up now.
Gameday Central: Top options, sleeper picks, and more
Ahead of the draft’s first round, Inquirer Flyers writer Jackie Spiegel sat down with FloHockey draft and prospect analyst Chris Peters on Gameday Central to discuss the team's options with the sixth pick, sleeper prospects to watch, and much more.
Report: Blue Jackets trade for Charlie Coyle and Miles Woods
Teams across the Metro continue to make moves. After missing out on Noah Dobson to Montreal, the Blue Jackets added centers Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood from the Avalanche, trading away a 2027 second, a 2025 third, and forward prospect Gavin Brindley.
Reports: Islanders trade Noah Dobson to the Canadiens
Could Flyers be in the mix as Islanders look to trade Noah Dobson?
Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson’s name has been thrown around in trade rumors for the last few weeks, and over the last 48 hours it is looking more and more likely that he will be dealt.
Insider Frank Seravalli reports that the Islanders have shifted their approach from seeking roster players to draft picks in a potential trade for Dobson.
Could the Flyers be in the mix here? While Montreal and Columbus are reportedly very interested in the 25-year-old defenseman, the Flyers would have the best pick package of the three if they wanted to get involved.
Final NHL mock draft: Here's who we have the Flyers taking tonight
Pick No. 6
Jake O’Brien, C, Brantford (OHL): If Caleb Desnoyers, Anton Frondell, and Porter Martone are gone — in that order — my gut instinct is that O’Brien is next on the Flyers’ list. Although James Hagens has been in this spot on previous mock drafts, and Brady Martin is another strong possibility, the addition of Trevor Zegras on Monday appears to shift things a little, and the 18-year-old O’Brien (his birthday was June 16), brings high-end skill and size down the middle at 6-foot-2.
Pick No. 22
Whomever the Flyers draft, don't expect to see them anytime soon
While much has been made about the Flyers’ potentially landing their No. 1 center with the sixth pick, it is important to remember that whomever they select is likely a year, or two, or even three away from helping the NHL club.
This is especially true in a 2025 class that might not have a single player who starts off in the NHL next year. Projected top pick Matthew Schaefer and top-ranked forward Michael Misa probably have the best chance of getting to the NHL quickly, but Schaefer only played 17 games in juniors last season due to injury, while the high-scoring Misa might also need another year of seasoning.
In terms of Flyers targets, Boston College center James Hagens is probably one year away as most feel confident that he’ll turn pro after his sophomore season, while the likes of Caleb Desnoyers, Brady Martin, Porter Martone, and Jake O’Brien are all one to two years from competing for an NHL spot.
6 prospects that could make a lot of sense for Flyers' top pick
Caleb Desnoyers, C, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
By far, Desnoyers is the most well-rounded center in this class and the one everyone says will stick at that position in the NHL. He is a proven winner and just led Moncton to the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League championship — with two bad wrists. There’s a good chance he won’t be there at the sixth slot, hence the mid-range draft meter, but if he is there, the Flyers will surely snag the 6-foot-2 younger brother of current Lehigh Valley Phantom Elliot Desnoyers.
Draft meter: 5
When do the Flyers pick tonight?
The Flyers will be busy Friday night.
Thanks to some wheeling and dealing, Philly has three picks in the first round of the draft — 6, 22, and 31.
Overall, the Flyers have 10 draft picks this weekend, including three in the second round and one in the third, at least before any wheeling and dealing takes place.
Flyers met with Porter Martone ahead of the NHL draft
The Flyers seem to be doing their due diligence leading up to the 2025 NHL draft.
After The Inquirer reported that James Hagens met with the team in the Philly area last week, Porter Martone confirmed on Thursday to reporters in Los Angeles that he also made a visit to the Garden State this week.
Martone is considered the top winger in this draft class, and with the addition of Trevor Zegras on Monday — and the intention of, at least to start, having him down the middle — the Flyers could shift gears and not take a center. That said, Martone is a right winger, which the Flyers already have an overabundance of in their top six.
2025 NHL Draft: Start time, channel, how to watch and stream
The Sixers are off the clock, now it’s the Flyers’ turn.
The 2025 NHL draft kicks off tonight at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, and Philly has three picks in the first round tonight and 10 picks overall.
The NHL draft runs two days, with the first round starting tonight at 7 p.m. on ESPN and ESPN+.