The Philadelphia Flyers are to Michigan State hockey what the Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies are to Tom Izzo’s hoops program.
What do I mean by this? The Flyers love themselves some Spartans and they’re probably going to keep going back to the well as long as it keeps working out.
The Flyers’ apparent love for Michigan State stretches back a few decades. It all began with Rod Brind’Amour who played in Philadelphia from 1991-2000 and even led the organization to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1997 but they ran into the buzzsaw that was the 1990s Detroit Red Wings.
After a not-so-brief hiatus, the Flyers decided to dip back into that Michigan State well, signing Karsen Dorwart to an NHL contract and he played five games with Philadelphia following the Spartans’ 2024-25 season. He was followed by both Shane Vansaghi, Porter Martone, and new commit Matthew Gard who were all drafted by Philadelphia.
Vansaghi went No. 48 overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, Gard went nine picks later at No. 57 overall in the same class, and Martone went first as the sixth overall pick.
Now that trio of past, current, and future Michigan State hockey forwards is participating together at the Flyers’ development camp.
A handful of Spartan forwards headed to Flyers dev camp! https://t.co/fhT6nKnJBN
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) June 28, 2026
All three Spartans at the Flyers’ development camp are expected to have a big impact on the franchise, and Martone got off to a head start at the end of the 2025-26 regular season and in the 2026 NHL Playoffs — he had 10 points in his nine regular season appearances.
Vansaghi and Gard will be joining the organization later, but the former is gearing up for a national title push in East Lansing this season while the latter is playing one more season with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds.
That Michigan State family feeling will be palpable this week at Flyers dev camp.
Porter Martone stole the show at the end of the NHL season
Shortly after one of the most crushing Michigan State hockey losses in program history, blowing a two-goal lead in the final few minutes to miss a Frozen Four, Martone joined the Flyers and signed a contract, effectively ending his Spartan career.
The news was sad, but expected, and Martone even expressed to Adam Nightingale that he wanted to return, but the hockey coach told him that it wouldn’t make sense if he’s ready for the NHL.
It turns out he was ready, scoring 10 points in the final nine games of the regular season, boosting the Flyers into the playoff conversation. They would make the playoffs and he would help them win their first-round matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins but Martone and the Flyers would eventually get swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricane — coached by former Spartan/Flyer Rod Brind’Amour. He finished his first NHL Playoffs with five points (two goals, three assists).
Martone stole the show at the end of the season and now he’s at development camp, working toward becoming a central figure in the Flyers’ organization.
Add us as a preferred source on Google