The draft lottery has officially locked the Nashville Predators' draft picks, and they'll be picking 5th overall in the first round, before having two picks later in the round via trade.
Most eyes are on the early "lottery" pick in this talented draft pool, even at the fifth overall pick, you can grab a franchise-altering player. The question facing us today concerns whether or not Porter Martone is that player.
Our own Calvin Luckfield wrote a little about projected picks in this area and gave Martone a mention, but he's a player worth exploring more.
Porter Martone: The Big Wing
In the NHL, we love us some measurables, and Martone certainly has them. Standing at 6'3" and weighing in at around 205 pounds at just 18, Martone has the size that scouts love, and teams in the Western Conference need for playoff matchups and long seasons. You need more than size, though, and Martone has the numbers elsewhere.
Over his four-year career in juniors, with both the Sarnia Sting and Mississauga/Brampton Steelheads, he's produced more and more with each season. This past year, in 57 games, Martone produced an impressive 98 points (37 goals and 61 assists) while also adding another 9 (4 goals, 5 assists) in 6 playoff games. He plays with an edge and ended up with a very respectable 74 penalty minutes as well.
In total, Martone has produced 204 points in the OHL, which is a pretty impressive number, especially when he's only really had a featured role for the last two seasons. He also showed out on Canada's under-18 World Juniors team, scoring 17 points (5 goals, 12 assists) in 7 games. His U20 appearance wasn't impressive, getting into just 3 games and managing one goal.
Why Should or Shouldn't We Want Him?
Let's put it like this: if there were a third Tkachuk brother, would you want him? Martone plays a heavy game, looking to inflict pain on defenders who keep him from the puck, and battles in front of the net for any and every loose puck. He's also got a really good shot, and pretty great handles with the puck.
The flaw in Martone's game is a common one. He isn't fast enough for the NHL game, yet. While that doesn't matter in the OHL, where he can dominate physically, in the show, it is a different story. He'll need to work on improving his gas tank, top-end speed, and his ability to make decisions at high speeds. He will also need some work on the video board with the defensive end, as your best offensive guys typically aren't asked to do a lot on the defensive end in juniors.
Martone is a player that every team wants and needs, but for the Predators, his position isn't priority one. The Predators need center depth, and there might be more than one really good player available., but Martone might be good enough to take the risk.
Ask Penn State, who reportedly offered him a huge NIL deal to come play in Happy Valley.
Nothing is confirmed at the moment, but the NCAA would likely be a step up from the CHL for a post-draft year development wise. Martone won't play more than one or two seasons anywhere else before taking his shot at the pros, but will that be as a Nashville Predator? We'll find out soon.