Travis Konecny hasn’t exactly been shy about Porter Martone, and that support has only grown louder since the Flyers made the pick and Martone started proving the point.
Konecny has been one of Martone’s biggest advocates from the start, first making the case to General Manager Danny Briere and President of Hockey Operations Keith Jones before the 2025 NHL Draft. He told them Martone “Was going to be a good player” and that he “Wanted them to draft him.” Konecny has also said versions of “I wanted him to be a Flyer right when I left there… I loved him” while pointing to Martone’s talent, competitiveness, willingness to learn, and pro-ready mindset.
The Flyers listened. They took Martone sixth overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, with Konecny and fellow Flyer Travis Sanheim, who was also with him at the Worlds, both pushing for the selection and celebrating when it happened.
Martone then signed his entry-level contract in late March 2026, joined the team, and wasted little time making his presence felt. He put up 10 points in 9 regular-season games and added strong playoff contributions, including game-winners. That only gave Konecny more reason to keep talking him up.
Since Martone arrived, Konecny has continued to frame him as a special talent, one who plays a simple, low-risk style that opens things up around him. He has also described Martone as “kind of above his years” and praised how quickly he learns and chips in.
Yesterday, Konecny summed up his view this way: “The sky is the limit for Marty. He came in and made an impact right away.
We will see where it goes, it seems very positive. He’s seems to have a knack for the net, and not everyone has that.”
Martone, for his part, has credited Konecny and others for helping him settle in, and the two have already shown chemistry on the ice. Konecny’s steady backing has become one of the clearest signs of how highly the veteran Flyers forward thinks of the young winger.
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The on-ice takeaway was just as encouraging. Michkov said he feels good after trimming down and getting quicker, while Tocchet pointed to visible changes in the way the winger moved during practice. For a Flyers team that needs its young talent to keep trending up, camp is already offering a glimpse of a player who may be arriving with a different look and a different level of confidence. [Read more 🡒]
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Flyers Waiting On Their Next Big Swing For One Reason
Philadelphias summer push for a young center ended the way most offer-sheet gambles do, with the original team digging in and keeping its player. The move sent a clear signal around the league, though, because once Anaheim matched on Leo Carlsson, a wave of other clubs moved quickly to lock up their own rising stars on long-term money.
For the Flyers, the bigger takeaway is not just that the swing missed, but that it sharpened Danny Brires view of when to take the next one. He has stressed a patient approach to major additions, with an eye on the right fit rather than the next available name, while the organization keeps building around its own core and protecting its flexibility for when the market opens up again. [Read more 🡒]