What they’re saying about Flyers first-round picks Porter Martone and Jack Nesbitt
Experts say they like the Flyers’ No. 6 pick as Martone was the best player available, but some question marks were raised after they traded up from No. 22 and No. 31 to take Nesbitt at No. 12.
The Flyers made two picks in the first round of the 2025 NHL draft, selecting Porter Martone at No. 6 and then trading up to grab Jack Nesbitt at No. 12.
It surprised some that the Flyers didn’t take a center at No. 6, given their long-standing need to improve down the middle. But pre-draft, general manager Danny Brière said he would take the best player available, regardless of position, and that was Martone, a winger. Corey Pronman, prospect analyst for The Athletic, agreed with his assessment.
“The Flyers had a desperate need for a top-two-line center of the future with a high skill level,” Pronman said. “But Martone was the best player on the board. He’s a big body with a high compete level, and a tremendous skill level. I think he was notably better as a hockey player than the centers available.”
The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler was also a big fan of the pick, praising his potential on a line with Matvei Michkov.
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“Martone is one of the very best prospects in this draft and gives the Flyers size, high-end skill (he’s got plus traits as a shooter, handler and playmaker), and a formidable one-two punch at right wing with Matvei Michkov,” Wheeler wrote. “I wouldn’t sweat the position he plays. If he can add a little more pace/consistency to his game, he’s going to be a star in the league for a long time.”
Martone takes inspiration from top NHL power forwards like Matthew Tkachuk and Corey Perry. ESPN’s Kevin Weekes, just after the Flyers made the pick, said the scouts he talked to see those traits too.
“I don’t say this lightly, but three people, when I asked them for the comp, said he reminds them of Corey Perry, in terms of his reach, his ability to score, not necessarily the fastest skater on the rink but a lot of talent, and he’s physical,” Weekes said.
That said, the experts weren’t as excited about Nesbitt, due to his weaker skating, which raised a few question marks. The Flyers traded up from No. 22 and No. 31 to take Nesbitt at No. 12.
“I didn’t love the decision to take Nesbitt at No. 12, though,” Wheeler wrote. “... He does add more size to a pool that needed it before Friday night, and fills another need as a center. He’s competitive and physical, and dropped the gloves a bunch this year, and has some legit skill for his size as well. But at No. 12, you’re betting that he becomes a top-six center, and I think there is some risk that if he doesn’t get quicker, he might struggle at NHL pace to produce above a third-line level.”
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ESPN’s Rachel Doerrie said Nesbitt’s blend of size, positional value, and hockey sense helped propel him higher in the draft.
“A very intelligent player who executes quality passes, he plays a reliable game,” Doerrie wrote. “His skating stride will be the ultimate determining factor in his NHL ceiling. If he adds mobility and an extra gear, there’s more offense to unlock, but the focus will be his ability to check. He needs two or three years to develop, but Nesbitt had one of the most confident, low-volatility projections in the draft class as a third-line center.”