Hockey Canada's World Juniors hopefuls defeated a team of U Sports players 5-2 at TD Place in Ottawa on Thursday.
---
Canada's World Junior hopefuls trailed a team of U Sports players 2-1 early in the third period on Thursday when the line of Brampton Steelheads winger Porter Martone, Spokane Chiefs centre Berkly Catton and Medicine Hat Tigers forward Gavin McKenna rushed up the ice. Martone headed straight to the front of the net where Catton found him for a quick shot and the tying goal.
"I'm a big body and I like to use my frame well," said Martone, who stands 6-foot-3, 208 pounds. "I like to do a lot of my damage in front and get inside and that was a nice pass."
Martone's goal sparked a third-period comeback in what ended up being a 5-2 win.
"He wins all his battles," gushed Catton, who was selected eighth overall by the Seattle Kraken in June. "He's always at the net. He's a guy you need on every line. He puts that one home and got us rolling. He's great everywhere he seems to go."
That includes the Ontario Hockey League where Martone, who wears the 'C' for the Steelheads, is second in scoring this season with 54 points in 26 games.
"Aside from all his skills and his size, he just wants to win," said centre Carson Rehkopf, who is Martone's linemate in Brampton. "He's a winner and he's shown that at all levels."
It's a big reason why the 18-year-old is a top contender to go first overall in the 2025 NHL draft. In fact, Martone is No. 1 in the recent rankings released by TSN director of scouting Craig Button.
Martone captained Canada to gold at the under-18 World Championship in Finland last spring. He finished the event with 17 points in seven games. He also helped Canada win gold at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup while serving as an alternate captain.
"There's a lot of good hockey players in the world, but you need to go a little bit more and beyond to win," he said. "I just want to go out there every night and give everything I can to give an advantage to my team. If I do crack Canada's lineup I would do anything to win a gold medal."
With cuts looming on Friday night following another game against U Sports, Martone appears well on his way to locking up a roster spot despite being among the younger players at the camp.
"He competes every shift," observed Hockey Canada head scout Al Murray. "He's at the net. He's in the paint. He's in the corners. He's always a big part of the action. It's a great combination to have a big guy who's got hands and skill, hockey sense and a high level of compete."
It's no surprise that Martone lists Florida Panther Matthew Tkachuk, Ottawa Senator Brady Tkachuk, and Edmonton Oiler Corey Perry as his hockey role models. All three of those guys........