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Martinez trade a start but Vegas Golden Knights need more

By Andrew Steele-Davis

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 14: Adrian Kempe #9 of the Los Angeles Kings celebrates his goal with Jeff Carter #77, Alec Martinez #27 and Matt Roy #3, to tie the game 2-2 with the Detroit Red Wings, during a 3-2 Kings overtime win at Staples Center on November 14, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 14: Adrian Kempe #9 of the Los Angeles Kings celebrates his goal with Jeff Carter #77, Alec Martinez #27 and Matt Roy #3, to tie the game 2-2 with the Detroit Red Wings, during a 3-2 Kings overtime win at Staples Center on November 14, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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This is a huge week for the Vegas Golden Knights with the NHL Trade Deadline looming, and they have already made a significant splash.

Following numerous reports on Tuesday, it was announced today that the Vegas Golden Knights had traded for defenseman Alec Martinez from the Los Angeles Kings.

The Knights did pay a hefty price, though, sending a second-round pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and a second-round selection in 2021 to the Kings for the two-time Stanley Cup champion.

However, Vegas addressed a clear need and they are a better team today than they were this time yesterday.

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In Martinez, the Golden Knights have acquired a seasoned veteran who brings an abundance of experience to the table, in addition to knowing what it takes to win at the highest level.

The 32-year-old also has a history of coming up clutch, having scored the goal that clinched the Stanley Cup for the Kings against the Rangers in 2014.

Martinez is a shot-blocking monster – he has racked up 85 blocked shots this year – and he can play a key role on the penalty kill while eating monster minutes every night.

But, there is a caveat here, the blueliner has shown clear signs of regression this year and it isn’t clear whether that is father time starting to take its toll or, rather, if Martinez is the victim of being on a bad and rebuilding Kings team.

He also doesn’t offer much offensively with just one goal and seven assists for eight points in 41 games this year.

And that brings us on to our main point – this can’t be the only move before the Trade Deadline for the Vegas Golden Knights.

While Martinez is a nice piece and is a slight upgrade on this blueline, while adding much-needed depth, it isn’t a move that moves the needle or pushes the Golden Knights over the top.

It is a trade that adds more balance to the defense given that Martinez can play on either side, while he will be a perfect fit in that locker room.

Oh, and let’s not forget, the left shot also comes with term given that he’s under contract through 2020-21 with an annual cap hit of $4,000,000.

But, again, this isn’t a seismic type move by the Knights and it doesn’t transform them into a powerhouse overnight.

They need to make other moves before the Deadline at 3:00 p.m. ET on Monday.

Granted, the Golden Knights will need to shift some contracts off the books first with Cody Eakin and Nick Holden the likely candidates to be moved.

MONTREAL, QC – FEBRUARY 08: Ilya Kovalchuk #17 of the Montreal Canadiens celebrates his overtime goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre on February 8, 2020 in Montreal, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1 in overtime. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC – FEBRUARY 08: Ilya Kovalchuk #17 of the Montreal Canadiens celebrates his overtime goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre on February 8, 2020 in Montreal, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1 in overtime. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /

Once Vegas has freed up some cap space, they then need to explore the market and try and pick up a depth scorer.

This team has been hurt by a lack of secondary scoring all year and there are some intriguing names out there, including Montreal Canadiens forward Ilya Kovalchuk and Vladislav Namestnikov of the Ottawa Senators (we’ll be doing more on those two this week).

With Alex Tuch week-to-week and now on the LTIR, which means he must miss 10 NHL games and 24 days from the day he was first injured, the Golden Knights are really going to need an extra offensive punch down the stretch.

General Manager Kelly McCrimmon said today that they will continue to explore moves right up until the Trade Deadline, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they explore another trade for a puck-moving defenseman.

New Jersey Devils blueliner Sami Vatanen and Jeff Petry of the Montreal Canadians would help to move the needle more than Martinez, and either player would really give Vegas some oomph on the blueline.

Whatever route they decide to go down, though, the Vegas Golden Knights can’t put their feet up and be satisfied just because they have acquired a two-time Stanley Cup winner.

Yes, Alec Martinez is a good pickup but he alone won’t solve all of this team’s flaws and it remains to be seen whether the defenseman can re-energize his career in Vegas.

Instead, the Golden Knights need to remain aggressive and they must do what they have to in order to make another move or two that will help to push this team over the top before the Trade Deadline.

Next. 2020 NHL Trade Deadline Primer. dark

If they don’t, then we may well be looking back at the Alec Martinez trade as an expensive gamble that wasn’t backed up and, ultimately, didn’t work.

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