“I instructed Danny and ‘Jonesy’ that he used to be going to be a just right participant. I sought after them to draft him,” Konecny mentioned. “I sought after him to be a Flyer proper once I left there. … I beloved him.”
The Flyers used the No. 6 select within the 2025 draft to make a choice Martone. And now all of the love Konecny had for Martone is spreading right through the Philadelphia area.
Since debuting March 31, two days after signing a three-year, entry-level contract, the 19-year-old has energized the Flyers with 10 issues (4 objectives, six assists) and 32 pictures on objective in 9 video games.
“I simply roughly hopped in, realized the methods in in the future,” Martone mentioned. “(The coaches) did a really perfect process with me, speaking in regards to the methods which might be in position. I have realized each and every unmarried day, and the blokes right here have completed a really perfect process.”
Martone mentioned the root for that luck used to be laid this season at Michigan State, the place he led the Spartans with 25 objectives and 50 issues in 35 video games.
“I simply actually discovered my identification as a participant and who I want to be to achieve success,” he mentioned. “Trainer (Adam) Nightingale actually compelled on me to play underneath the hash marks, play in entrance of the web. I feel some other factor that he instructed me once I were given there’s if I need to play on the NHL point, I’ll need to play at a sooner tempo, I’ll need to get sooner, and that’s the reason one thing that I actually labored on there.”
At 6-foot-3, 208 kilos as an 18-year-old, Martone ruled the Ontario Hockey League in 2024-25, with 98 issues (37 objectives, 61 assists) in 57 video games with Brampton.
He concept he used to be operating laborious, however his first few days of preseason apply at Michigan State confirmed him what laborious paintings actually used to be.
“I feel he had a troublesome time making it in the course of the first couple weeks of apply,” Nightingale mentioned. “There used to be simply an adjustment for him.
“Taking part in like an influence ahead, you have to be sturdy, you have to be heavy at the puck and you have to transport your toes. You have got so as to play with some tempo and get to the interior, no longer play at the out of doors, and offer protection to the puck. In reality be nice from the highest of the circles down. I assumed he did a actually just right process.”
Whilst the training team of workers labored with Martone at the ice, the off-ice paintings used to be led by means of Michigan State director of athletic efficiency Will Morlock. With 4 days every week of apply and health club time, Morlock’s position is important for this system.
And Martone purchased proper in.
“He roughly is the mastermind at the back of all of the paintings,” Martone mentioned. “He does such a lot for that program. And simply chatting with him, it used to be, we need to put at the proper weight and the precise power. … He made a program for me, and we roughly went together with it the entire 12 months.”
Martone mentioned the outcome used to be him finishing the season 8 kilos heavier whilst dropping 4 % of his frame fats.
“That is one thing that I wanted and one thing that I spotted a large distinction, simply having the ability to have extra staying power in video games and be capable of last more,” he mentioned.