Porter Martone didn’t intentionally wear a Flyers playoff hoodie to the first day of development camp.
“It’s the only Flyers hoodie I have,” Martone joked.
Still, it was a physical expression of just how much has changed for Martone, Denver Barkey, and Alex Bump since the last time they were at development camp 12 months ago.
Last year, none of the three had made their NHL debut. Martone was freshly drafted and off to college, and Barkey and Bump were headed into their first full pro seasons. Now, all three are bona fide NHL regulars who played key roles in the Flyers’ improbable run to the second round of the playoffs.
They don’t even need to be here. Martone’s barely had three weeks of rest, following up his playoff run by playing alongside Sidney Crosby and Macklin Celebrini for Team Canada at the World Championships. But it was important for each to come back to Voorhees, both to work on their skills and to help the next group of prospects along.
“I’m still a young guy here,” Martone said Monday. “I think I could use my learned experiences — and my experience in the playoffs and at the ending stretch there with the Flyers — to help everyone here. I still might be younger than some guys, but I think that’s valuable, to come back here, be a leader, show them what it’s like being a Philadelphia Flyer.”
Martone didn’t participate in the skill sessions on the first day, choosing instead to focus on power skating and off-ice workouts. Monday was his first day back on the ice since the World Championships. After camp, he plans to return to East Lansing for a week to train with the strength coaches at Michigan State, and then head home to Ontario before training camp in the fall.
Having guys like Martone, Barkey, and Bump — who know the drills, the facility, and the staff — on hand can be an invaluable resource for the newer members of the organization.
And there’s still plenty for that trio to learn. Martone said he felt like he had to improve at “everything” this summer to become the power forward he wants to be. Barkey agreed, but had a few more specific things he was getting a jump start on at camp.
“The biggest thing for me this summer is putting on a couple extra pounds and working on my first three steps,” Barkey said. “Getting in and out of corners, having the weight and the strength to win battles, and then also having the first three steps to get away from the bigger guys, and have a little bit of space to make plays. I think that’ll be my bread and butter, and it takes time, but definitely working toward that.”
Breakaways
Three of the Flyers’ draft picks, Czech goalies Martin Psohlavec and Marek Sklenička and Finnish defenseman Max Laatikainen, were not able to travel in time for the start of development camp, but they are expected to participate later in camp … Jett Luchanko was not among the players on the ice for the first day of camp. According to Flyers director of player development Riley Armstrong, Luchanko is dealing with a lower-body injury. He is expected to be back skating next week and to be ready for training camp… Assistant general manager Brent Flahr told The Inquirer that Cole Knuble has a good motor. Kind of sounds like Denver Barkey a little bit, no? “I think just growing up, kind of realized that’s the way I’m going to be able to make it, a guy that’s going to go in every battle,” Knuble said. “And I think growing up the emphasis was, not goals or assists, it was always, did you win your 50-50s and did you stick your nose in there. That’s kind of the way I was coached growing up. So yeah, that was just how I’ve always played.” So was it his dad, former Flyers forward Mike Knuble, who taught him that? “Oh, yeah, he used to say if you have 12 eggs in your pockets, they should all be broken.”
