Alec Martinez has spent almost his entire career on contenders. In 15 total seasons with the Kings and Golden Knights, he has made the playoffs 10 times.
So why did he join the rebuilding Blackhawks?
“First and foremost, with the things [general manager Kyle Davidson] did just a few days ago to the roster…I think we’re going to be pretty good,” Martinez said Wednesday.
But there were more factors beyond that competitive optimism, too, that convinced the soon-to-be 37-year-old Michigan native to sign a one-year, $4 million deal with the franchise he infamously eliminated in the 2014 Western Conference Finals.
“When I talked to everyone, and when I sat down and really thought about it and talked to my wife, Chicago was overwhelmingly a positive thing,” he added. “I felt that if we were able to make it work, I was exactly where I should be.
“I truly believe they’re trying to build this the right way. They’re trying to do things the right way, bringing in the right people and all that.”
Current Hawks veterans Nick Foligno and Connor Murphy were two of the guys Martinez reached out to, in addition to other contacts inside and outside the organization. He and Davidson also had a lengthy discussion about the latter’s vision and what role the former would be expected to fill.
Given the likelihood he spends significant time partnered with and mentoring young defensemen like Kevin Korchinski, Alex Vlasic and even Wyatt Kaiser or Ethan Del Mastro, this contract offer felt like a way to complete his career’s full circle.
He hopes to pass on some of the lessons he remembers learning from early-2010s Kings veterans like Rob Scuderi, Matt Greene, Willie Mitchell and Robyn Regehr.
“I look at this as an opportunity where I can give back to the game of hockey that’s given me a lot,” Martinez said. “[When] you look at some of the young guys in the room — that was one of the things [in the] research I was doing — there’s a lot of talent.”
It sometimes seems like every NHL player is friends with Foligno, but the Hawks’ de facto captain and Martinez had never actually spoken before this summer. Nonetheless, they quickly bonded — which isn’t surprising — and discovered their personal approaches to hockey and leadership aligned well.
Martinez probably won’t challenge Foligno as the biggest talker in the locker room, though.
“I would say I have somewhat of a longer fuse, but I really like to try to pick my spots,” he said. “Sometimes, if you say and do too much, then it doesn’t mean as much when you speak up. If you pick your spots and do it at the right time, you’re more often going to get a lot more people to pay attention and listen.”
Despite his age, his aforementioned focus on leadership and his declining point production — he tallied 17 points last season, down from a career-high 39 in 2016-17 — Martinez should be able to aid the Hawks’ desired on-ice defensive improvement.
He leads all NHL defensemen in blocked shots over the past two seasons combined with 409. He boasts tons of penalty-killing experience and should immediately become a regular on the Hawks’ units.
Analytically, he defends the defensive blue line well (allowing the second-fewest zone entries leading to scoring chances among Knights defensemen last season) and excels at getting the puck back over the blue line (leading Knights defensemen in zone exits with possession last season), per All Three Zones data.
“I still love the game,” Martinez said. “I still want to play. I feel like I’m effective; I feel I can contribute. Physically, I feel really good, especially when I’m out there on the ice. But just like anyone my age, you might have to add five minutes to that warmup.”