Porter Martone and Matthew Schaefer, two of the top prospects for the 2025 NHL Draft, are among the 25 players named Friday to Canada's roster for the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.
The tournament will be held Dec. 26-Jan. 5, 2025, in Ottawa.
"When you look at Martone, for me he plays in the fabric of every game he's in," Canada management group lead Peter Anholt said. "He's a Corey Perry, a Ryan Smith, kind of a player. He plays in the blue paint. He's hard to play against. He can play up and down the lineup. He could play on a checking line that's hard to play against. He can play up. He can play the net front on the power play. I think a guy like him for the coaching staff, there's so many different things he can bring."
Martone (6-foot-3, 207 pounds), a forward with Brampton of the Ontario Hockey League, is second in the OHL with 54 points (21 goals, 33 assists) in 26 games.
"Porter Martone is a beast," Nick Smith of NHL Central Scouting said. "He is a game breaker with some bite. He has soft hands with a knack for scoring goals. He sees the ice extremely well and makes the guys he plays with better. He goes to the hard areas to score goals with his physical presence and can back it up as well. He’s a leader and the guy you want on the ice when the game is on the line."
Schaefer (6-2, 183) has 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) in 17 games for Erie of the OHL. He joined Martone in playing for the Canadian Hockey League at the CHL USA Prospects Challenge on Nov. 26-27.
"I think he's next level," CHL coach Kris Mallette said of Schaefer. "If he makes a mistake, he can find another level to make it better. The calmness he's got, the ability to turn it from just a subtle stride into full steam is very impressive."
