Apr 12, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Blackhawks left wing Patrick Maroon (77) and defenseman Alec Martinez (25), wave to fans after the game against the Winnipeg Jet at United Center. They are retiring. Photo: Matt Marton/Imagn Images

Blackhawks Player Grades: Alec Martinez

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | By Ron Luce | Last updated Jun 2, 2025 2:07 PM ET

Entering the 2024-25 season, the Chicago Blackhawks added a number of veterans to supplement their expectedly young core of players. One such player added during the summer was three-time Stanley Cup champion Alec Martinez, who signed a one-year deal as a stop gap on the blue line.

At the end of the season, Martinez called it a career. He and veteran Pat Maroon retired in unison following the final home game of the campaign. That said, how was Martinez's last season in the NHL and first with the Hawks?

Story of the Season

As noted, Martinez signed a one-year, $4 million deal with the Blackhawks during the summer. Alongside Seth Jones and Connor Murphy, Martinez was expected to help the youngsters while helping the team take a leap forward in the standings.

Unfortunately, neither of those things happened. Martinez was limited to 44 games due to injury and the Blackhawks were just as bad in the NHL standings as they were a season ago. In addition, Jones was traded and Murphy also failed to play a full season due to some injuries.

Down the stretch, Martinez played some good hockey when he was healthy. 12 points, including five goals, made Martinez incredibly effective on the backend for the Hawks. The veteran put up notable point totals in February and early March, but fell off and found himself out of the lineup later in the season. Now, he'll hang them up after an incredibly successful career with three different teams.

Player Grades

Steve Kwiatkowski's Grade: C

Injuries prevented Martinez from playing a full season. I didn't expect too much out of him. He was brought on to be a veteran presence, and he did just that.

Tony Marchese's Grade: C

Average play from an aging veteran that hung them up at the end of the season. It could have been far worse.

Ron Luce's Grade: C

Once a player who haunted the dreams of every Blackhawks fan (and still might), Alec Martinez was in the final days of his career when he was signed during the offseason. Sadly, injuries limited him to just 44 games, but he had some fun moments for the team, especially late in the season. He was ok, hence the grade. That said, I'm wishing him a happy retirement after a hell of a career, which included three Stanley Cups.

What's On Tap Next?

Martinez now hangs up the skates and the Blackhawks will move forward with a much younger blue line. Sam Rinzel, Alex Vlasic, Artyom Levshunov, and others will now be the next wave of Blackhawks defensemen. After an incredible career, Martinez will be largely remembered by Blackhawks fans for heartbreak, but he finishes his quality career with the Hawks.

Tell us if you agree with our grades! What would you give Alec Martinez? Let us know at @FourFeathersPod on X and Instagram!

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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