If you've been watching the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs, you know who Porter Martone is by now.
The 2025 first round talent has exploded at the NHL level, putting up 10 points in nine NHL games and two goals in two playoff games. There isn't a single moment the Philadelphia Flyers forward isn't noticeable on the ice. He's peppering shots, setting up plays and showing exactly why he deserves to be on the top-six.
The Detroit Red Wings need to take a Porter Martone approach with their prospects.
How the Red Wings develop their prospects
Traditionally, the Red Wings have always had a very conservative outlook on their young talent. They're more comfortable with their prospects "over-ripening" in developmental leagues as opposed to throwing them feet first into the fire. There's certainly sound logic to this; if you bring in a player too soon and he falls flat on his face, it could affect his confidence for years to come.
Look at Axel Sandin-Pellikka as a great example. While he started off hot, his confidence (and, in turn, his ice time) began to falter as his mistakes piled up. Had he spent a little more time in the AHL, there's a chance he could have joined the Red Wings later this season with a much more consistent play style.
Having said that, developing prospects is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Just like with raising a child, sooner or later, you have to be comfortable with the players making mistakes on their own. This is how guys like Porter Martone have cemented themselves at the NHL level -- and it's an approach the Red Wings need to take with their prospects.
The Red Wings need to see what they have in the pipeline
Giving the prospects an opportunity serves two purposes. Firstly (and most obviously) it gives the players a chance to show their stuff at the NHL level. Secondarily, however, it gives upper management a chance to understand the prospect pipeline. Is Michael Brandsegg-Nygard a second line winger, or is he more of a depth piece on the bottom-six? Will Nate Danielson have a breakout at the NHL level, or is he destined to be the next 3C?
Sooner or later, the Red Wings need to understand what they've got going for them. Deploying your potential second-line winger on the fourth line is not conducive to healthy development. On one hand, it's understandable that these players need to show they can drive their own offense. On the other, however, how can they do that playing just 11 minutes a night?
Why the Red Wings should employ the Martone approach
The Flyers put Porter Martone on their top-six because they trust him. They know his talent and they've seen what he can do at every level in his career. As it stands, the Red Wings do not seem to trust their prospects to properly contribute. While there are exceptions to this rule like Emmitt Finnie, for the most part, the prospects play extremely sheltered minutes, often wasting away on a bottom line.
It's hard to imagine Martone would have the same numbers he does if he was forced to work his way up from the Flyers' fourth line.
Next season, the Red Wings need to give the prospects plenty of time in October and November to see what they can do. If they don't have what it takes, they can send the players back down to Grand Rapids. If they impress, however, they need quality minutes to succeed. They need opportunities to make mistakes and learn from them. Young players don't thrive unless they're given opportunities to do so.
Sooner or later, sink or swim, the Red Wings have to see what they have in store with their prospect pool.
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