Photo Credits: Charles Warburton
The Brampton Steelheads began their 2024-25 season Friday night with a 7-0 victory over the Brantford Bulldogs. The following night, the team continued their winning streak with a 5-2 win against the Erie Otters, starting the season strong at 2-0. Leading the charge for the Steelheads is the new dynamic duo of forwards Carson Rehkopf and Porter Martone.
Right away on Friday, I noticed Rehkopf and Martone’s impressive chemistry. While it usually takes time for players to develop chemistry, they looked like they had been playing together for years. Martone consistently set up Rehkopf for scoring chances throughout the game, and it eventually paid off when Martone’s slick backhand pass landed on Rehkopf’s stick, leading to a goal that put the Steelheads up 4-0 against Brantford.
In their win over Erie, Rehkopf netted his second goal of the season with an assist from Martone. Their ability to create opportunities for each other highlights their chemistry and complements their individual styles—Rehkopf is a lethal sniper, and Martone excels as a skilled playmaker.
Martone’s playmaking ability reminds me of John Tavares—both have a remarkable vision for setting up plays while still being dangerous scorers themselves. On the other hand, Rehkopf’s goal-scoring prowess draws comparisons to David Pastrnak. Whenever Rehkopf has the puck, there’s a high chance it’s finding the back of the net.
Both players are experienced veterans in the OHL. Rehkopf is a four-year veteran who is a prospect of the Seattle Kraken, while Martone, a third-year veteran, was just named the captain of the Steelheads and will be a top prospect in the 2025 NHL draft.
So far this season, Martone has six points in two games, making his presence known to other teams. Rehkopf has three points in two games.
Compared to NHL duos, they’re like Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Ovechkin. But OHL fans in Brampton aren’t new to having a dynamic duo. From 2007 to 2009, the Brampton Battalion had Cody Hodgson and Matt Duchene, and both players dominated the OHL together. I can see that happening again in Brampton with Martone and Rehkopf.
As the season continues, it’s clear that Martone and Rehkopf will be the Steelheads’ best players, driving the team’s offence. Their chemistry is already paying off, and they will be one of the many dangerous duos in the OHL. It will be interesting to see how their roles will evolve and how far they will lead the Steelheads this season.
