According to the latest NHL trade rumors, the LA Kings are expected to send defenseman Alec Martinez to the Vegas Golden Knights for two 2nd round picks.
With the NHL trade deadline just six days away, the trade market is really starting to heat up. We’ve already seen multiple defensemen switch teams so far. According to the latest NHL trade rumors, the next one could be Alec Martinez of the LA Kings, who is expected to be traded to the Vegas Golden Knights.
While this deal isn’t set in stone yet, it is expected to happen, according to multiple sources. The return will likely be two second-round picks, according to TSN‘s Bob McKenzie.
Martinez has been scratched from tonight’s Kings game for “precautionary reasons” according to the team. So a deal could happen very soon.
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The Golden Knights would be getting Martinez for more than just the rest of this season. He’s also under contract for next season and has a cap hit of $4 million. The Golden Knights have been looking to upgrade their blueline and Martinez would be a nice way to do that.
This would be the second time in the past few days the Kings traded one of their own players to a division rival. On Monday, the Kings sent forward Tyler Toffoli to the Vancouver Canucks.
Martinez could join Shea Theodore on the second pairing. Theodore has had a solid season despite not having consistent partners. He has spent most of his 5v5 ice time with the likes of Nick Holden, Nicolas Hague, and Brayden McNabb.
He could also join the Golden Knights’ third pairing and give them a veteran presence there. Martinez is still solid at suppressing shot attempts no matter who he plays against, which certainly has value.
While Martinez’s underlying stats aren’t too encouraging, it’s worth pointing out the Kings aren’t a very good team. He’s playing too many minutes for them. In a more optimal second or third pairing role with the Golden Knights, Martinez should post better numbers.
Two second-round picks is a fairly steep price to pay for someone like Martinez. However, it’s worth noting the market for defensemen is crazy right now. The Golden Knights need someone like Martinez to have a chance at winning the Stanley Cup.