Tag Archives: Hockey

Hockey News

BREAKING: Flyers Take Porter Martone At Sixth Overall

Leave a comment

The Philadelphia Flyers have selected Porter Martone at No. 6 in the 2025 NHL Draft.

Martone, a right winger, brings size and intelligence to the Flyers' offense, and it's suggested that he could be ready for an NHL roster come October.

The 6'3" forward brings plenty of energy, and has proven himself capable of scoring and driving possession. The hope is that he can balance out an offense with equally high-motor players like Matvei Michkov and Trevor Zegras. 

He's drawn comparisons to players like Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk and Dallas Stars standout Mikko Rantanen. 

Martone also grew up a Flyers fan, revealing that he had a poster of former Flyers captain Claude Giroux in his basement. General manager Danny Briere also said with a smile on his face that they had pictures of Martone in Flyers gear.

Hockey News

Predators select center Brady Martin with 5th overall pick in NHL Draft

Leave a comment

Brady Martin is a Nashville Predator. 

With their highest pick since 2013 and first of three in the first round, the Predators selected Sault St. Marie Greyhounds center Brady Martin with the fifth overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. 

In his second season with the Soo Greyhounds in the OHL, Martin scored 72 points in 57 games and had a plus/minus of 25. He also logged 68 penalty minutes. 

The Elmira, Ontario, native also represented Canada at the 2025 IIHF U-18 World Championship, scoring 11 points in seven games and winning a gold medal.

Martin was not in attendance at the NHL Draft as he was reportedly working on his family's farm. 

With a 6-foot-0-inch, 174-pound build, Martin is the perfect center for the Predators to develop and has used his frame to his advantage. From highlights, Martin is able to generate space on the ice during the rush and has a strong net-front presence. 

The Predators next selections are at 23rd overall and 26th overall. 

Hockey News

Islanders Select Schaefer With First-Overall Pick

Leave a comment

It was an emotional moment for Matthew Schaefer and his family when Gary Bettman announced Matthew Schaefer as the first-overall pick at the 2025 NHL Draft. Despite injury and personal hardship, the Erie Otters' defender proved he was the top prospect in this draft class. 

In February of 2024, Schaefer lost his mother, Jennifer, to breast cancer. The young defender was visibly in tears as he stood on the stage wearing the blue, orange and white of the New York Islanders.

Schaefer was the first-overall pick at the 2023 OHL Priority Selection. The 6-foot-2 defender scored 10 goals and added 29 assists in 73 games with Erie over the course of the last two years. This past season, he only played 17 games for Erie due to a combination of injury and illness. 

He was named to Canada's World Junior roster and scored a goal and added an assist in the two games he played at the tournament before succumbing to an upper-body injury. Just making the team was an accomplishment for the 17-year-old defender as Canada's roster normally consists of 19 and 20-year-old players.

 Schaefer impressed in the two games he played for Canada, showcasing his elite skating abilities and offensive instincts. His performance in those two games was so impressive that he became the consensus first-overall pick for the entire second half of the season despite being unable to play for the remainder of the season.

Bulldogs Acquire Two Time OHL Champion Ryder BoultonBulldogs Acquire Two Time OHL Champion Ryder BoultonEarlier today, the London Knights sent 2006-born forward Ryder Boulton to the Brantford Bulldogs in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round pick. 

He's the first OHL player since Connor McDavid to be a first-overall pick in his OHL Draft year and NHL draft year. 

Schaefer is a fantastic add for the Islanders who just traded away Noah Dobson earlier today. He profiles as a strong two-way defender who can not only score big goals and contribute offensively but also lock down defensively. 

It is entirely possibly that Schaefer could join the Islanders as soon as next season based on his skillset and accomplishments. However, it may be more prudent for the Islanders to give their young prospect a bit more time to develop. This seems especially true given the amount of time he missed this past season. 

Whether he joins the NHL next season or not it seems like Schaefer has a bright future ahead of him with his new NHL franchise. 

 

Hockey News

Chicago Blackhawks Select Anton Frondell With 3rd Overall Pick In 2025 NHL Draft

Leave a comment

The Chicago Blackhawks were forced down to the third overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft as a result of the Draft Lottery that took place a handful of weeks ago.

Since then, the debate and conversation about who they will go with has been ongoing. Now, the wait is over.

The New York Islanders kicked the night off by selecting Erie Otters defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the first overall pick. Although it was expected, it set the tone for the rest of the draft to play out. 

With the second overall pick, the San Jose Sharks took Michael Misa. After rumors started to suggest that San Jose may go in a different direction, they ultimately proved that was a smokescreen for them to end up taking Misa in the end. 

From there, the Chicago Blackhawks were on the clock. They selected Swedish forward Anton Frondell with the third overall pick. Frondell entered the draft as the number one-ranked international prospect. 

Now, with Bedard and Nazar leading the way on offense, they have another forward to put in the mix. Frondell is much more of a two-way center who models his game after Aleksander Barkov. He will provide a perfect balance to their long-term forward group. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.