Philadelphia Flyers’ Porter Martone Is Nearing a Playoff Milestone – The Hockey Writers – Philadelphia Flyers

After being underdogs entering their first-round series, the Philadelphia Flyers hold a commanding 2–0 lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins heading back to Xfinity Mobile Arena. They followed a 3–2 win in Game 1 with a 3–0 shutout in Game 2 on the road.

The Flyers have mostly committed to low-event hockey to achieve this, and they’ve stifled a strong Penguins offense as a result. But one player in particular has shone despite a team-wide emphasis on defense: Porter Martone.

The 19-year-old rookie, drafted sixth overall in 2025, finished the regular season with four goals and six assists across nine games. He has maintained that momentum in the playoffs, already recording two goals—both game-winners.

It’s only been two games, but Martone’s two goals have him on the cusp of a playoff milestone. Let’s discuss.

Martone Is Nearing Draft-Plus-One Playoff Supremacy

It’s pretty rare for players in their draft-plus-one season (meaning, the season after you’re drafted) to suit up in the playoffs, let alone score multiple goals in them.

Since the 2005 lockout, just eight players recorded multiple goals in their draft-plus-one playoff run. Here’s that list:

• Auston Matthews (four in six games; 2017)
• Jordan Staal (three in five games; 2007)
• Andrei Svechnikov (three in nine games; 2019)
• Sam Bennett (three in 11 games; 2015)
• Sean Couturier (three in 11 games; 2012)
• Tyler Seguin (three in 13 games; 2011)
• Porter Martone (two in two games; 2026)
• Nathan MacKinnon (two in seven games; 2014)

Considering the Flyers’ reserved play style, climbing that leaderboard will be far from easy. But with Martone clicking the way he is, another goal or two in this series is attainable—especially if the Penguins bounce back (obviously, that’d be a scenario best avoided).

Should the Flyers advance to Round 2, Martone could certainly beat Matthews’ mark outright, even against a defensively sound Carolina Hurricanes or Ottawa Senators team.

Of course, this is all small-sample stuff—reaching the four- or five-goal mark would mostly just be a cool stat. However, it does put into perspective how good Martone already is.

Martone’s Unprecedented Display of Stardom

Even the best prospects take time to show extended signs of stardom—Calder Trophy favorite Matthew Schaefer is a supreme outlier. It’s natural for teenage players to take time to develop.

Martone is apparently not one of those players. Through 11 career games, he has six goals, six assists, and 39 shots. Without any context at all, that’s star production. When you add context, those numbers become a lot more impressive.

Given the Flyers’ system, a point-per-game pace during any 11-game span is eye-opening. But Martone is doing it during the most important stretch of hockey that Philadelphia has seen in years, and as a 19-year-old.

Furthermore, Martone is driving play. He’s not leaning on an established superstar and/or a lethal power play to put up numbers beyond his true impact. The kid is effectively doing this on his own—it’s an unprecedented display of stardom.

While Martone’s 28.57% postseason shooting clip is unsustainable, he’s not a beneficiary of a random stroke of luck. He’s a gifted shooter and passer who thinks the game at a high level. This is just what he does: break games open. It’s what he’ll continue to do for, hopefully, many seasons in the Orange and Black.

Through two games, Martone is halfway toward tying Matthews’ four playoff goals as a draft-plus-one rookie in 2017—the most since the 2005 lockout. That’s not a stat to take too seriously (it doesn’t mean he’s poised to score 70 one day), but it does show that Flyers fans are witnessing something special.

Stats courtesy of Evolving-Hockey and QuantHockey