In the 59-year history of the Philadelphia Flyers, they have never had a rookie take home the Calder Trophy. They’ve had some near misses, like Matvei Michkov, who led all rookies in goals during the 2023-24 season with 26, but finished 4th in voting. Bill Barber, Ron Hextall, and Shayne Gostisbehere all finished 2nd in voting and are the Flyers’ highest finishers in the voting for the award for the league’s top rookie.

Doug Favell (4), Andre Lecroix (5), Bobby Clarke (4), Mel Bridgman (5), Behn Wilson (4), Pete Peeters (3), Brian Propp (4), Pelle Lindbergh (5), Dave Poulin (4), Pelle Eklund (5), Eric Lindros (4), Mikael Renberg (3), Janne Niinimaa (4), Simon Gagne (4), Matt Read (4), and Michkov (4), join Barber, Hextall, and Gostisbehere as the only Flyers to finish Top-5 in the voting.

Aside from Michkov, Tyson Foerster (7), Noah Cates (9), and Sean Couturier (9) are the only other players on teh active roster to be in the Top-10 as a Flyer in their rookie season. Notably, Trevor Zegras was the runner-up during his rookie season with the Anaheim Ducks.

It’s been a long history for the Flyers organization, but a Calder Trophy winner is still missing. That could all change in the 2026-27 season.

Per FanDuel Sportsbook, Flyers rookie Porter Martone (+250) is the current favorite to win the 2026-27 Calder Trophy, slightly edging out Toronto Maple Leafs No. 1-overall pick Gavin McKenna (+270). Behind them are San Jose Sharks 2nd-overall pick Ivar Stenberg (+700), Chicago Blackhawks 2025 3rd-overall pick Anton Frondell (+900), and Washington Capitals defenseman Cole Hutson (+900).

Martone showed out in his first bit of NHL action. Can he keep it up and take home the first Calder Trophy after his first full NHL season?

Can Porter Martone Become the Flyers’ First Calder Trophy Winner?

Porter Martone is primed for a big role in the 2026-27 season. The Brampton (OHL) and Michigan State (NCAA) product joined the Flyers for their final 9-game postseason push, where he posted 4 goals and 10 total points. He made a difficult transition look easy.

Martone then got his first taste of playoff hockey, starting with a rivalry revived between the Flyers and Penguins. During the 6-game series against teh cross-state rival, Martone tallied 2 goals and an assist for 3 total points. He added 2 more assists during the 4-game series against the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes, finishing the postseason with 5 points in 10 games.

It was a busy calendar year for Martone, who played for the Canadian men’s team at the World Championships before the 2025 NHL Draft. He then played a long season with the Michigan State Spartans, whose season ended in the regional finals of the NCAA Tournament. While in college, he captained the Canadian World Juniors team. His season was not over following the Flyers’ postseason exit, finishing the year at the men’s World Championships once again.

Now, all eyes are on the 2026-27 season.

The last 5 Calder Trophy winners (Schaefer, Hutson, Bedard, Beneiers, Sieder) all finished their rookie seasons with 50+ points. The last 3 all scored 59 or more. Kirill Kaprizov (2020-21) was the last winger to win 51 points in the shortened 56-game season. He’s the only winger to win the award in the past 10 years.

This season, 3 wingers lead the pack. That trend could change real quick.

So, what will Martone need to show?

What Will He Need to Do to Win?

Martone will have a good advantage over the other two early favorites in the sense that he already got a good first taste of NHL action. Not only that, but Martone looked like a star early on.

All three of Martone, McKenna, and Stenberg are natural goal-scorers. Each of them is wickedly talented in the offensive zone. In my eyes, both McKenna and Stenberg edge out Martone when it comes to playmaking, but Martone’s ability to fill the net will help him keep up with the race.

With that said, goal-scoring will be the key to winning the award. Every season is different, and the race is determined by the quality of talent in the rookie class. However, it does feel like there will be another talented crop of rookies. 60 points will be the benchmark. That said, 30 goals might be what Martone needs to be to gain a big advantage.

Only Travis Konecny (2022-23, 23-24) and Sean Couturier (2017-18, 18-19) among current Flyers have reached that mark. Claude Giroux (2017-18) and Wayne Simmonds (2015-16, 16-17) are the only other Flyers to reach that mark since 2015.

Auston Matthews (40) is the last rookie to win the Calder Trophy with 30 or more goals.

Ultimately, it will come down to how McKenna and Stenberg adjust to the NHL game. If both players take time to adjust to the speed of the North American pro level, it could play in Martone’s favor. Martone has already proven he can keep up with the NHL pace.

While it was a small sample size, Martone’s 4 goals in 9 games in 2025-26 would put him on pace to score 37 goals in the 84-game 2026-27 regular season. It certainly seems like something attainable for the Flyers’ rising star.

Do you think Porter Martone can become the Flyers’ first-ever Calder Trophy winner?

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