Martone is ready for the next step
Greater Toronto Hockey League forward expected to go fifth in 2022 OHL Priority Selection
Porter Martone is very likely to hold bragging rights in his household after Friday night.
The Peterborough native is expected to be a top five pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection, which begins Friday at 7 p.m. with rounds one to three and continues Saturday with rounds four through 15.
After growing up in the AAA Minor Petes system, the six-foot-three, 180-pound forward, jumped to the Greater Toronto Hockey League’s Toronto Jr. Canadians this season. He proved himself to be among the best U16 players in Ontario, scoring 41 goals and 63 assists for 104 points in 53 games.
The Saginaw Spirit announced Thursday they are selecting Michael Misa, a 2007-born centre for the Mississauga Senators granted exceptional player status, with the first pick overall. Multiple sources tell the Examiner the top six picks appear to be locked in now.
The Erie Otters are expected to draft Misa’s left-winger, Malcolm Spence, second overall. The Sudbury Wolves are expected to choose Navan Grads centre Nathan Villeneuve at No. 3. The Niagara IceDogs are projected to pick Toronto Marlies defenceman Sam Dickinson at No. 4 and the Sarnia Sting are said to be taking Martone at five.
His linemate Jack VanVolsen is rumoured to be the Petes’ pick at No. 6. He is a skilled centre with a goal-scoring touch who competes hard.
Martone will be the first of four Peterborough-area players expected to be drafted, none of whom played in Peterborough this year. Former AAA Minor Petes forward Ethan Toms, of the Quinte Red Devils, goalie Easton Rye, who played for the Ajax-Pickering Raiders, and Ennismore resident Carter Frost, a goalie for the Jr. Canadians, are all projected to be selected this weekend.
At No. 5, Martone would be going higher than the 15-year-old’s father, Mike Martone, the Petes’ secondround selection in 1993.
“It would be pretty cool,” said Porter. “My mom (Angela) and dad have taught me so many things, life lessons and how to act. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them. It would be fun if I had a little bragging rights to go higher than him, but even if I don’t — if I go lower than him — they taught me how to always work hard.”
It’s always been Martone’s ambition to play in the OHL.
“Ever since I was a little kid, four or five years old, I remember going to Petes games and sitting up in the grey section,” he said. “It’s always been a dream of mine to play in the OHL. Now that the time is about to come it’s kind of surreal.”
Martone thought it was best for his career to play in the high-calibre GTHL this year, but he appreciated his time in the Minor Petes system.
“Peterborough is a great organization that has been developing me since I was a little kid in novice all the way up,” said Martone. “They have great skills guys there, great coaches, especially Chad Cavanagh, who has been there with the skills group who helped me with my skills. Coaches like Ken Watson and Jay Legault really taught me how to play the game.”
His team won the GTHL championship and lost in the OHL Cup final to the Mississauga Senators.
“Everything has been amazing. We got to meet a lot of nice people and ultimately we had a really good year. We won two of the biggest tournaments and the GTHL championship and came up short in the final but it was a very good year.” Notes The Petes made their second trade of draft picks in two days Thursday. Peterborough dealt the Barrie Colts’ 2022 second-round pick to the Flint Firebirds in exchange for Hamilton’s 2024 second-round pick and Flint’s 2023 third-round selection.