NHL EDGE stats: Martone’s upside after debut with Flyers

NHL.com's fantasy staff continues to cover the latest trends and storylines in the League through the lens of NHL EDGE puck and player tracker stats. Today, we identify some key advanced metrics behind Porter Martone’s first two NHL games for the Philadelphia Flyers.

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Forward Porter Martone made his NHL debut for the Philadelphia Flyers this week, and the elite prospect has shown signs of being a difference-maker during their late-season Stanley Cup Playoff push.

Martone, who was the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and signed his entry-level contract with the Flyers on March 29, had a game-high five shots on goal and played 16:54 against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday. Martone then had an assist and a game-high nine shots on goal while playing 18:15 against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday. Martone leads the entire NHL in shots on goal (15 in three games) since making his NHL debut March 31.

The 19-year-old joins the resurgent Flyers, who are 9-3-1 in their past 13 games and in the postseason hunt in the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia, which has missed the playoffs in each of the past five seasons, adds another promising young forward to a group that features 25-year-old Trevor Zegras (seven-game point streak; has tied NHL career high with 23 goals this season) and 21-year-old Matvei Michkov (No. 7 pick in 2023 NHL Draft).

Martone led Michigan State University in points (50) and goals (25) in 35 games as a freshman. That includes three points (one goal, two assists) in two games at the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

Here are three underlying takeaways from Martone's first two games that provide a glimpse of his offensive upside:

1. Offensive zone time percentage

Although it’s only a three-game sample size, Martone ranks in the 86th percentile among forwards in offensive zone time percentage (45.2 percent; League average: 42.4 percent) at all strengths. Martone also is in the 94th percentile at the position in even-strength offensive zone time percentage (44.2 percent; League average: 41.3 percent).

Over Martone's first three games, he has played mostly on a line with wing Travis Konecny (leads Flyers with 39 assists, 66 points) and center Christian Dvorak.

Martone’s offensive zone time figures are impressive considering he only started two of his first 16 NHL shifts with a face-off in the offensive zone during his debut, the lowest percentage (12.5 percent) by any of Philadelphia’s 18 skaters on Tuesday.

2. Shots by location

Martone has five midrange shots on goal over his first three games. Philadelphia, as a team, is fourth in midrange goals (84) this season.

Four of Martone’s shots on goal through two games have come from the three regions in front of the net: two from the low-slot region, one from the left net-front region and one from the right net-front region.

Martone’s best scoring chance in his debut Tuesday came at 19:36 of the second period but was saved by Capitals goalie Logan Thompson; per NHL EDGE IQ, that shot by Martone had a Projected Goal Rate of 29.59 percent, making it a high-probability attempt. Martone leads NHL forwards in 5-on-5 shot attempts differential (plus-27 over first two games) since March 31.

3. Power-play upside

Martone has already seen time on the first power play with forwards Konecny, Zegras and Noah Cates and defenseman Jamie Drysdale or Rasmus Ristolainen, an effort by coach Rick Tocchet to spark the Flyers' NHL-worst power play (15.1 percent).

Martone led Michigan State and was tied for eighth among NCAA players in power-play goals (eight) this season. Other encouraging shot metrics from Martone’s NHL debut include his hardest shot (85.91 mph), which already ranks higher than the NHL average (83.59), and his volume of snap shots on goal (three), an indicator of a quick release.

Even if Martone remains on Konecny’s line at even strength, he could build chemistry with Zegras, who leads the Flyers in power-play goals (eight) and power-play points (19) this season. With the Flyers in the jam-packed Eastern Conference races for either the second or third spot in the Metropolitan Division or both wild-card spots, Martone could provide a much-needed spark to their offense down the stretch of this season and then emerge as a Calder Trophy candidate next season.