The Michigan State hockey program secured a commitment Monday evening from one of the top players in the Ontario Hockey League and the No. 6 overall pick in last month’s NHL draft, adding Porter Martone to this season’s roster.<\/p>\n
Martone announced his commitment to MSU via Instagram, writing, “Excited for this next chapter with MSU hockey.”<\/p>\n
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Martone, who was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers<\/a> in the first round of June 27’s NHL draft, had 37 goals and 61 assists in 57 games playing as the captain of the Brampton Steelheads in the OHL this past season.<\/p>\n Martone, a 6-3, 205-pound forward, considered several colleges and signing with the Flyers to start his professional career. He decided to spend next season with the Spartans \u2014\u00a0a significant pickup for a program that, earlier this month lost a recruiting battle for Gavin McKenna, the presumed top pick in the 2026 NHL draft, and then lost Hobey Baker Award winner Isaac Howard, who had previously announced he was returning for his senior season, before the Tampa Bay Lightning<\/a> traded him to the Edmonton Oilers<\/a>, who then signed him to an NHL contract<\/a>.<\/p>\n With the addition of Martone, MSU will now have nine players on roster next season who were drafted in the first two rounds of the NHL Draft, including four taken in first rounds. The Spartans will have at least 13 players drafted on their roster for the 2025-2026 season, and still have one roster spot left to fill this summer.<\/p>\n MSU is coming off winning back-to-back Big Ten regular season and tournament titles, but has not advanced out of the NCAA regionals in either season. With the amount of talent the Spartans have on roster this coming year, they’ll be among the favorites to win an NCAA championship.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n