3. Power-play upside
Martone was inserted onto the first power play with forwards Konecny, Zegras and Noah Cates and defenseman Jamie Drysdale in his debut, an effort by coach Rick Tocchet to spark the Flyers’ NHL-worst power play (15.3 percent).
Martone led Michigan State and was tied for eighth among NCAA players in power-play goals (eight) this season. Other encouraging shot metrics from Martone’s NHL debut include his hardest shot (85.91 mph), which already ranks higher than the NHL average (83.60), and his volume of snap shots on goal (three), an indicator of a quick release.
Even if Martone remains on Konecny’s line at even strength, he could build chemistry with Zegras, who leads the Flyers in power-play goals (eight) and power-play points (19) this season. With the Flyers in the jam-packed Eastern Conference races for either the second or third spot in the Metropolitan Division or both wild-card spots, Martone could provide a much-needed spark to their offense.
