With playoff aspirations in a tight division, the Vegas Golden Knights felt a need to bolster their current roster. Defense has long been looked at as the "weak point" of the Golden Knights and thus GM Kelly McCrimmon pulled the trigger on a (close enough to) trade deadline deal.
He found a trade partner in a familiar club. Their fellow Pacific Division combatants, the Los Angeles Kings are in sell mode. A wide array of players have been rumored to be dealt or have already been shown the door. Tyler Toffoli was already sent to the Vancouver Canucks and now Alec Martinez has been dealt to Vegas, for two second round picks (VGK 2020, StL 2021).
Many remember Martinez as the defenseman who scored a huge Game 5 goal against the New York Rangers back in 2014, to clinch the Stanley Cup in double overtime. He joined the rush and buried a rebound goal, cementing his place in Kings history. His experience and track record were drivers in McCrimmon's pursuit of the now 32-year-old blue-liner.
"Martinez is a good player with good leadership ability and is very versatile. He plays left and right defense really well. He’s a player we really feel will improve our team and have a significant impact."
- GM Kelly McCrimmon
I hate to say it, but the Stanley Cup winner isn't the player McCrimmon acquired. Martinez is now six years older, shows limited offensive game (one goal), and has personally had a tough season. Yes, the Kings are a team with many struggles, but Martinez has not simply been brought down by a bad team. Let's take a look at his season thus far.
Alec Martinez at Even Strength
Corsi For %: 51.3%
Corsi For Rel: -3.3
PDO: 95.6
None of those metrics look good for Martinez. Maybe he feels rejuvenated playing for a team in the playoff hunt. Maybe sharing a locker room with the other former King, Brayden McNabb, will be beneficial. Maybe playing alongside Jon Merrill and/or Shea Theodore will help. We can only wait and see at this point.
"As a grizzled veteran with two Stanley Cup rings playing in limited minutes, he'll do well in Vegas. He's a very calm player and doesn't ever seem to make too many panic moves."
- Robyn Pennington, Jewels From the Crown (SB Nation)
Head Coach Pete DeBoer believes the move is a good one for the Golden Knights. He made mention of the added luxury of having another experienced blue-liner at his disposal on Thursday morning, following Martinez's first skate with the team.
Against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Martinez will be paired with Jon Merrill, as Zach Whitecloud was unceremoniously demoted to the AHL. He will also be switching from his purple and black 27, to a grey and gold 23, as there's no way he could have taken Theodore's well-earned number. Martinez is steady and won't put the Golden Knights at a disadvantage, but only time will tell if the cost was worth a little over one season of his services.
Martinez and Co. will take on the Lightning at 7pm, a stiff challenge for the new-look defense.
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