Martone emulates Tkachuk, Perry, prospect tells 'NHL Draft Class' podcast

The 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be held June 27-28 at L.A. Live's Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The first round will be held June 27 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS), with rounds 2-7 on June 28 (Noon ET; NHLN, ESPN+, SN, SN1). NHL.com is counting down to the draft with in-depth profiles on top prospects, podcasts and other features. Full draft coverage can be found here.

Porter Martone of Brampton of the Ontario Hockey League said he takes great pride in the fact many have compared him to a few of the NHL's most recognizable power forwards.

"You see Matthew Tkachuk (Florida Panthers) vs. Corey Perry (Edmonton Oilers) in the Stanley Cup Final ... I think that's kind of when that big power forward mold comes out best," Martone said on the latest edition of the "NHL Draft Class" podcast. "You see it in the playoffs right now how valuable they are. They have high-end skill, and you can see why Corey Perry's playing with Connor McDavid on a line. They complement each other very well.

"That's the kind of a player I want to be one day in the NHL."

Martone (6-foot-3, 204 pounds), a right wing, is one of 64 OHL players included on NHL Central Scouting’s final ranking of North American skaters and goaltenders, including 10 players listed as potential first-round selections. Martone is No. 6 on Central Scouting's final ranking. Erie defenseman Matthew Schaefer is No. 1.

"NHL Draft Class" co-hosts Adam Kimelman and Mike G. Morreale were also joined by Nick Smith of NHL Central Scouting to discuss many of the top OHL players expected to be chosen early, including Schaefer, Martone, Saginaw center Michael Misa (No. 2), Brantford center Jake O'Brien (No. 4), Sault Ste. Marie center Brady Martin (No. 11) and Kitchener defenseman Cameron Reid (No. 23).

"As a former center myself, I notice the little things," Smith said. "The 200-foot game for Misa was spot on this year. He was a good penalty killer, good on face-offs, skates well, distributes the puck and he's very smart with and without the puck.

"He's not going to overpower you but he's smart enough to separate the puck from the opponent with his body. I think he's improved his stock playing the middle this year and I think that's where he belongs at the next level."

Kimelman and Morreale also discussed their most recent mock drafts and what the Nashville Predators and Philadelphia Flyers might do with their picks at Nos. 5-6, respectively.

The "NHL Draft Class" podcast is free, and listeners can subscribe on all podcast platforms, including iTunes and Spotify. It also is available here and the NHL app.