2024 World Junior Summer Showcase: 3 things learned on Day 9 | NHL.com

PLYMOUTH, Mich. –– The United States’ 5-4 shootout win against Canada on the final day of the World Junior Summer Showcase featured an interesting subplot: the battle between U.S. forward James Hagens and Canada forward Porter Martone, who could be the first two players selected in the 2025 NHL Draft.

Hagens (5-foot-10, 168 pounds) had an assist on a second-period goal by Quentin Musty (San Jose Sharks), showcasing his high-end playmaking skills. Martone (6-3, 196) didn’t have a point but was able to display some of his abilities as a top-end power forward.

The rivalry is mostly friendly, dating to their youth hockey days when they played on the same spring team for several years, including a tournament in Italy.

“He’s such a good player,” Hagens, 17, said of Martone. “It’s always tough getting out on the ice with him. He’s a guy that kind of pushes you to your best. … He’s a guy that you can’t really let have the puck because he makes plays happen. He’s a special guy and a special player.”

Martone, 17, said of Hagens, “Obviously he’s an incredible player, and you just see that out there with the plays he makes.”

The two likely will be intertwined throughout the upcoming season, including the chance for each to play at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.

“We’re friends off the ice but when that jersey gets put on, there’s no friends,” Martone said. “We battle hard and we compete, so it’s always fun going up against him.”

Musty has unique insight from playing on Hagens’ line at the WJSS and against Martone with Sudbury of the Ontario Hockey League. He wasn’t ready to play fantasy general manager at this point.

“I feel bad for those GMs that have got to make that decision,” he said. “They’re great players. It’s fun to watch them. All you can really do is sit back and watch and admire how good they are.”

Here are three things learned Saturday:

New skates would be great for Luchanko

One of Jett Luchanko‘s strengths is his skating, but the Canada forward impressed the Philadelphia Flyers development staff even more when they learned he was using skates that were more than two years old.

“It looks like he’s just kind of floating on the ice a little bit, and then he told me that his skates are two years old and he hates wearing new skates,” Flyers director of player development Riley Armstrong said. “I was like, ‘Well, jeez, let’s get you into some new skates. This could be incredible what you might be able to do.’

“So it’s pretty comical on that side. He’s skating with these worn down old skates and he’s still just flying around the rink.”

Luchanko uses an older model of Bauer Supreme skates but hasn’t found a good fit with any of the newer ones he’s tried.

“It’s just tough to get out of them,” he said Saturday. “I’ve tried a lot of different skates but I really like these ones, so I’m still working on it. Hopefully I can find something I like.”

Luchanko has done OK in his well-worn skates. The 17-year-old scored a goal Saturday, and he led Guelph of the OHL with 74 points (20 goals, 54 assists) in 68 games before the Flyers selected him in the first round (No. 13) of the 2024 NHL Draft.

He’s hoping his skate hunt leads him to a comfortable pair because he’s not sure how much longer his current model will hold up.

“They’re getting to the point where they’re going to start breaking,” he said. “Hopefully I can find a pair and maybe I can just get a bunch of them for my whole career. That would probably be the best possible option.”