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New York Times
9 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Flyers add scoring, size in first round of NHL Draft with Porter Martone, Jack Nesbitt picks
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Headed into Friday's first round of the 2025 NHL draft, the Philadelphia Flyers system had two discernible needs: more size and snarl, particularly considering the way the league is trending lately, and another potentially high-end center. They may have addressed both with Porter Martone, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound agitating winger taken with the sixth-overall pick, and Jack Nesbitt, a 6-4, 183-pound pivot that they traded up to acquire 12th overall. Advertisement Regarding Martone, GM Daniel Briere stuck to his word from earlier this month when he suggested the plan was to select the best player available with the Flyers' highest pick. After there was a run on centers with Michael Misa, Anton Frondell, Caleb Desnoyers and Brady Martin going second through fifth, the Flyers snagged Martone, who posted 37 goals and 98 points in 57 games as a right wing for OHL Brampton this past season. 'We would have preferred a center, but we felt we couldn't pass up on a chance to bring a difference-maker like Porter Martone to the team,' Briere said. A legendary moment. Charles Barkley welcomes Porter Martone to the City of Brotherly Love. #NHLDraft — Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) June 28, 2025 Martone is viewed not only as a scorer but someone who can play an aggressive, physical style when necessary. That was overtly reflected in a trio of players Martone said he looks at as comparables: Corey Perry, Matthew Tkachuk and Wayne Simmonds. He also may be the most NHL-ready player of the draft. For one thing, wingers are typically better able to acclimate to the league more quickly than any other position, and Martone was the only winger selected among the first dozen picks. He also got a brief taste playing with and against NHL players after he earned an invite to the IIHF World Championships in May to skate for Team Canada at the conclusion of his junior season. Martone expressed a high level of confidence that his path to the NHL will be an abbreviated one, and Briere didn't necessarily disagree. 'At the World Championships (playing) against NHL players — I think I proved that I can do that. I think I proved that I fit in,' Martone said. 'But, I'm going to continue to get better every single day.' Said Briere: 'His body, the way he's built, is a little bigger, thicker guy. … He's a really good player already. He's pretty close to being ready. I don't know that it's going to be the right thing to play him this year in the upcoming season, but we'll see. If there's one thing I would say in this draft, he's pretty close to being the most ready out of that group.' Advertisement Martone is also familiar with three current Flyers from his experience at the World Championships: Travis Konecny, Travis Sanheim and Tyson Foerster, who also skated for Team Canada. Briere said that he received texts from Sanheim and Konecny joyfully approving of the pick, while Foerster 'couldn't say more good things about Porter in trying to convince me to take him.' 'All three of those guys were tremendous to me,' said Martone, who was scoreless in two games in the tournament. 'One thing I noticed over there is how much they loved being a Flyer, and how much they take pride in being a Flyer. … I can't wait to be their teammate.' Nesbitt is more of a project than Martone. While his size and scoring are intriguing — he posted 64 points in 65 games with OHL Windsor this season — his skating is a distinct area of concern. Nesbitt knows it's something he needs to work on, while concurrently adding more bulk. 'I play a very physical game. As a bigger guy, I need to improve my skating and I'm looking to put on a little weight, so that's going to come, as well,' Nesbitt said. 'But, yeah, I'm going to be working a lot of my skating, quick feet. As a centerman, I have to get into the small areas pretty quick, and be able to forecheck.' That's clearly something that the Flyers figure Nesbitt, who was voted the most improved player in the OHL coaches poll, will be able to overcome, considering they paid a fairly hefty price to move up to take him in surrendering the 22nd and 31st overall picks to the Pittsburgh Penguins. According to a Flyers team source, the club was under the impression that Nesbitt, who was 15th in Corey Pronman's final mock draft, would be taken 'in the next pick or two,' which forced them into action. Why did they target Nesbitt so aggressively? 'The package,' Briere said. 'The combination of the size, the grit, the playmaking abilities, the goal scoring already. Second half of the season, he took a big step on a really good Windsor team.' Advertisement Regarding his skating, Briere compared Nesbitt with Foerster, who dropped to 23rd in the 2020 draft due to perceived skating issues, but has since become a key cog in the Flyers' future. 'If (Nesbitt) hits as a second-line center, it's going to be a huge asset for us,' Briere said. As for Martone and Nesbitt both having decent size, that's something that, if you believe Briere, was more of a coincidence than anything else. 'It's a nice bonus that they're both tall and will bring us size, as well,' he said. 'But it just kind of worked out that way. It wasn't a plan that we had in mind going into the draft that we wanted to get bigger. It just happened that way.' The Flyers have seven picks on Saturday when the draft resumes, including three in the top half of the second round (36, 40 and 48 overall). Briere said there were opportunities to move up again late in the first round, but after trading a second-round pick to Anaheim as part of the deal for Trevor Zegras, and losing the 31st overall pick in the move to grab Nesbitt, they will likely use at least their three second-rounders on Saturday. (Top photo of Jack Nesbitt: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
Economic Times
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Economic Times
Matthew Schaefer goes to New York Islanders as first overall pick in NHL draft
AP Matthew Schaefer stands with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman after being drafted by the New York Islanders during the NHL draft in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) The New York Islanders made Canadian defenseman Matthew Schaefer the first overall pick in the NHL Draft on Friday night, selecting the 17-year-old standout from the Erie Otters and signaling high expectations for a player widely projected as a future cornerstone. Following Schaefer, the San Jose Sharks used the No. 2 pick on high-scoring forward Michael Misa, an 18-year-old who lit up the OHL last season with Saginaw. The Chicago Blackhawks picked third, selecting Swedish center Anton Frondell, who tallied 11 goals and 14 assists in 29 games for Djurgardens IF. ALSO READ - NHL Draft 2025 Updates: Full list of first-round picks The Utah Mammoth, after leaping 10 spots in the draft lottery, chose center Caleb Desnoyers fourth overall. Rounding out the top five, the Nashville Predators picked up rugged forward Brady Martin. Schaefer, who spent the past two seasons in the OHL, endured a challenging 2024–25 campaign that began with glandular fever and was later derailed by a broken collarbone suffered during the World Junior Championships. Despite the injuries, Schaefer posted an impressive seven goals and 15 assists in just 17 games, demonstrating the skill and poise that kept him atop draft February 2024, his mother, Jennifer, passed away from cancer. He pushed through that personal tragedy to deliver a strong rookie season, drawing admiration for his resilience as well as his ability. The emotions were felt on draft night at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. After his name was called, Schaefer fought back tears and honored his late mother."You wait for this moment your whole life," said Schaefer, who turns 18 in September. "I wish my mom could be here, but I know she's with me in spirit."
Ottawa Citizen
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Flyers deal two first-round picks to move up and take Spitfires' Nesbitt with 12th pick in NHL Draft
Article content Windsor Spitfires' centre Jack Nesbitt must have made quite the impression. Article content With the six-foot-five, 186-pound centre still on the board in Friday's first round of the NHL Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers stepped up big. Article content Article content The Flyers sent a pair of first-round picks – at No. 22 and No. 31 – to the Pittsburgh Penguins to move up to the 12th pick overall and select Nesbitt. Article content Article content 'We try not to show our hand and didn't want anybody to know, but you were our guy all along,' Flyers' general manager Daniel Briere said to Nesbitt on the national broadcast. 'This is really, really exciting for all of us.' Article content Article content The 18-year-old Nesbitt was named the most improved player in the Western Conference in the annual OHL coaches poll after make a 46-point offensive improvement from his rookie season. He was fifth in scoring for Windsor with 25 goals and 64 points in 65 games while finished tied for second on the team with 74 penalty minutes. Article content 'He looks like a Flyer to me,' Philadelphia president of hockey operations Keith Jones said on the national broadcast. 'We're fired up about it. We love the way he plays the game. (Brier) mentioned the grit, he's got some high-end skill to go with that and we think he's just going to develop into an outstanding player for us.' Article content Article content Nesbitt was taken one pick before the Detroit Red Wings selected forward Carter Bear with the 13th pick overall from the Everett Silvertips. Article content Nesbitt was the second player selected by the Flyers in the first round with the club grabbing six-foot-three, 204-pound Brampton Steelheads' forward Porter Martone with the sixth pick overall. Nesbitt was the sixth OHL player taken in the first 12 picks of Friday's first round.
CTV News
12 hours ago
- Sport
- CTV News
Colts star drafted by Islanders
Kashawn Aitcheson from the Barrie Colts is off to New York, as he was chosen by the Islanders with the 17th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. The 18-year-old defenceman totalled 26 goals and 59 points in 64 games with the Colts this past season. He added six goals and 12 points during Barrie's playoff run to the OHL Eastern Conference Final this spring, including the overtime winner in Game 5 of the second round against the Kingston Frontenacs. At six-foot-one and 198 pounds, Aitcheson's all-around blend of offence, defence, speed and physicality had him ranked as the 10th-to-20th best prospect in most pre-draft rankings. The Toronto, Ont. native becomes the first Barrie Colt drafted in the top-20 since Brandt Clarke was selected by the LA Kings at 8th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft. Kevin Connolly, an actor best known for his role in Entourage, announced Aitcheson's selection. The Islanders acquired the 17th overall pick earlier in the day in a trade that sent defenceman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Matthew Schaefer goes to New York Islanders as first overall pick in NHL draft
Live Events — NHL (@NHL) — NHL (@NHL) (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The New York Islanders made Canadian defenseman Matthew Schaefer the first overall pick in the NHL Draft on Friday night, selecting the 17-year-old standout from the Erie Otters and signaling high expectations for a player widely projected as a future Schaefer, the San Jose Sharks used the No. 2 pick on high-scoring forward Michael Misa , an 18-year-old who lit up the OHL last season with Chicago Blackhawks picked third, selecting Swedish center Anton Frondell , who tallied 11 goals and 14 assists in 29 games for Djurgardens Utah Mammoth , after leaping 10 spots in the draft lottery, chose center Caleb Desnoyers fourth overall. Rounding out the top five, the Nashville Predators picked up rugged forward Brady Martin Schaefer, who spent the past two seasons in the OHL, endured a challenging 2024–25 campaign that began with glandular fever and was later derailed by a broken collarbone suffered during the World Junior Championships. Despite the injuries, Schaefer posted an impressive seven goals and 15 assists in just 17 games, demonstrating the skill and poise that kept him atop draft February 2024, his mother, Jennifer, passed away from cancer. He pushed through that personal tragedy to deliver a strong rookie season, drawing admiration for his resilience as well as his emotions were felt on draft night at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. After his name was called, Schaefer fought back tears and honored his late mother."You wait for this moment your whole life," said Schaefer, who turns 18 in September. "I wish my mom could be here, but I know she's with me in spirit."
