The Michigan State hockey team got a ton of production from Porter Martone last season.
The forward was a key part of the Spartans’ top line with 25 goals and 25 assists in his lone season in East Lansing. Martone then made waves with his performance down the stretch in the NHL after signing with the Philadelphia Flyers, where he was a big reason for the team’s playoff berth and subsequent first-round series win.
The Spartans believe they have a similar type player coming in this winter in Ethan Belchetz, a physical, yet skilled, power forward from the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League. Belchetz is expected to be a prominent selection, possibly as high as the top 10, in this weekend’s NHL draft (June 26-27) in Buffalo.
“He’s not just a big man, he’s got hands, and he can make plays and he can score goals, and he’s really heavy in terms of how he plays,” said Corey Pronman, senior NHL prospects writer and analyst at The Athletic. “I don’t think you’re hoping for high-end offense, but maybe a more physical version of what Will Horcoff has been at Michigan. He’s a very promising player, for sure.”
Belchetz has played the past two seasons with Windsor. He had 17 goals and 21 assists in 2024-2025 before putting up 34 goals and 25 assists in 57 games before a broken clavicle ended his season early this past season.
MSU entered the picture for Belchetz after forward recruit Max Heise switched his commitment from the Spartans to Denver, opening a spot for the coming season. MSU’s staff quickly reached out to Belchetz, who they had been monitoring, and Belchetz committed soon after.
Belchetz’s move to college hockey was a stunner to Windsor GM Bill Bowler, who drafted Belchetz with the first overall pick back in 2024.
“Obviously, we’ve always anticipated high-end athletes leaving to go to the National Hockey League,” Bowler said in an interview with CTV News following Belchetz’s decision. “Drafting Ethan first overall, we never thought he’d leave after two years. It becomes challenging. It’s a different landscape, and we’ll adjust.”
Belchetz stands out with his size — even bigger than Martone — at 6-foot-5 and 229 pounds. He is consistently ranked somewhere between No. 9 and No. 15 in most draft projections. NHL Central Scouting has him as the ninth-ranked North American skater.
The Spartans will look for Belchetz to fill Martone’s role somewhere in the top six forward group, being a pain to play against with his big frame and ability to use that to win puck battles. Belchetz excels at the net front and can create offense in tight spaces while still having a powerful shot from anywhere in the offensive zone.
Belchetz and Martone are prime examples of high-end Canadian Hockey League players turning to the NCAA for added development ahead of entering the NHL. And MSU is now regularly in the mix, along with a few other elite programs, to get those prospects.
“It’s happened quickly, and cases like (Martone) has a lot to do with it,” Pronman said. “They’ve now become one of the premier destinations for NHL prospects. That could change quickly, depending if (MSU coach) Adam Nightingale left, but at the moment, if a top prospect is up for grabs, Michigan State is at least somebody they are considering.”
Contact Nathaniel Bott at nbott@lsj.com and follow him on X @Nathaniel_Bott
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: With power-skill combo, MSU’s Ethan Belchetz will be off board early in NHL draft
Reporting by Nathaniel Bott, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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By Nathaniel Bott, Lansing State Journal | USA TODAY Network
