Alec Martinez

[FormerSabresFan]

Hey guys,

Sabres fan coming in peace.

Just curious where Martinez game is at and how you would describe him?

I always liked him with LA but haven't seen much of him the last couple years.

Is he at least 2nd pairing defensemen quality currently?

How is he defensively and on the PK?

Buffalo needs to upgrade their LD.

We'd also be looking to upgrade in net and would take Fleury too.

I put this in the trade forum too but what's the interest in a cap clearing move per below...

To Vegas;
Hutton @ 2.75M (1 year left)
Montour @ 3.8M (1 year)

To Buff;
Fleury @ 7M
Martinez @4M
Maybe a 3rd round pick to balance the cap savings?

Vegas would get 4.55M in cap savings for this move.

From Sabres side, we can likely make this work cap-wise if we're able to flip Colin Miller to another team for cheap, maybe like a 3rd or 4th round pick.

Of course, this is all assuming Martinez still has some game left - and really, if all he is now is a good defensive D-men with little offense left that's really all we're looking for anyway.

Thanks

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[willy702]

This trade would have made a lot of sense before they gave away Schmidt for a bag of pucks. Still not sure why they kept Martinez and gave away Nate to a division rival for nothing. At this point I'm thinking the Sabres probably aren't interested in a player at Alec's age and maybe they'd have a hard time getting Fleury to accept a trade to Buffalo on his modified NTC. Martinez is a perfectly good middle pair guy, handles the puck moderately well and is decent in his own end. Doesn't do anything at an elite level so could see a lot of GMs not wanting his contract.

 

[Vegan Knight]

If Buffalo were willing I think Vegas would be willing, probably with a second rounder even. But I don't know if Fleury would waive and if Buffalo would want the entire cap hit so Vegas could possibly have to retain some.

Martinez is still a top four from what I've seen. Defensively responsible and offensive enough to get quite a bit of power play time with us.

 

[CupInSIX]

Decent jack-of-all-trades dman that coach predictable thinks can still score 10 goals, so he'll try the back door play on the PP all day long. Apart from that, he's still a 2nd pairing guy IMO and not too far removed from his Cup winning days.

He's a great D partner for Theodore. I'm kind of surprised they haven't offered an extension yet, but I guess they want to see how Whitecloud progresses.

 

[EXTRAS]

I wonder what type of contract he will get next.

 

[Vegan Knight]

I feel if he was getting a truly competitive offer from us it would have happened already.

The team has McNabb-Pietrangelo and Theodore-Whitecloud as possible top four pairings next season. They may go veteran second/third paring player chasing a cup next season to save some money.

Martinez has been immense for us but I could see them having a hard number they won't go over that may be too low for a guy who has his name on the cup a few times already and hasn't made a ton compared to other players and will probably look to cash in as much as he can on a final big deal rather than chase another cup.

 

[CupInSIX]

Decent jack-of-all-trades dman that coach predictable thinks can still score 10 goals, so he'll try the back door play on the PP all day long. Apart from that, he's still a 2nd pairing guy IMO and not too far removed from his Cup winning days.

He's a great D partner for Theodore. I'm kind of surprised they haven't offered an extension yet, but I guess they want to see how Whitecloud progresses.

Almost got 10 in the shortened season. Oof. What a resurgence.

I feel if he was getting a truly competitive offer from us it would have happened already.

The team has McNabb-Pietrangelo and Theodore-Whitecloud as possible top four pairings next season. They may go veteran second/third paring player chasing a cup next season to save some money.

Martinez has been immense for us but I could see them having a hard number they won't go over that may be too low for a guy who has his name on the cup a few times already and hasn't made a ton compared to other players and will probably look to cash in as much as he can on a final big deal rather than chase another cup.

If he wants 6m over 2-3 years, then I wish him all the best. He's earned it but I don't know if a team will offer it. That's what it would take for him to leave a good situation here IMO.

If he does leave, then Vegas needs to go after Eichel.

 

[Vegan Knight]

Almost got 10 in the shortened season. Oof. What a resurgence.



If he wants 6m over 2-3 years, then I wish him all the best. He's earned it but I don't know if a team will offer it. That's what it would take for him to leave a good situation here IMO.

If he does leave, then Vegas needs to go after Eichel.

If he wants over 4.5 we are going to be unable to compete with an offer. I think he could get 5 plus and probably a third year from a few places.

 

[Pia8988]

Vegas will regret him leaving massively, no issue if he decides to go get paid though. Whitecloud will move up and they'll have a disaster of a bottom pair in Hague-Coghlan

 

[theslatcher]

Vegas will regret him leaving massively, no issue if he decides to go get paid though. Whitecloud will move up and they'll have a disaster of a bottom pair in Hague-Coghlan

There's also Cormier, who if he is around as good as Girard was as people say he is, is an NHLer next season.

IIRC Martinez recently said no negotiations have been made, so it's not him declinjng offers.

 

[azvgk]

Vegas will regret him leaving massively, no issue if he decides to go get paid though. Whitecloud will move up and they'll have a disaster of a bottom pair in Hague-Coghlan

While I hope he stays, we would have his cap hit coming off the books and presumably could replace him, plus Hague has made a lot of strides this year, no telling how much more he can improve with a full off-season.

 

[Pia8988]

While I hope he stays, we would have his cap hit coming off the books and presumably could replace him, plus Hague has made a lot of strides this year, no telling how much more he can improve with a full off-season.

Hague is a complete non factor in replacing martinez. It would be whitecloud to step into his role

 

[willy702]

Hague is a complete non factor in replacing martinez. It would be whitecloud to step into his role

Yeah definitely feels like Hague essentially replaced Holden. I don't know if his ceiling is much higher. Much different player, but results are probably close over time. Still not a bad future for Hague if that's what ends up being, Holden has gotten paid decently over a fairly long career for at best being a #5 D. Most teams would be happy to get that out of a 3rd round pick. Whitecloud though was hitting the jackpot for UDFA.

 

[Vegas07]

If injuries hit then the D could really be a mess. Martinez leaving is scary.

 

[theslatcher]

If Martinez is no go, Petro+Theo can emulate Keith in the Hawks runs and put up 27+ minutes each per game. Which leaves ~66 minutes for the other 4. Whitecloud gets ~22 minutes, McNabb ~20, which leaves ~24 minutes for the bottom pairing. ~12 minutes each.

Heck, if Martinez is a go, a plan like that could still happen.

Pete is a coach who likes giving defensemen big minutes, so who knows if he'll employ it.

 

[azvgk]

Hague is a complete non factor in replacing martinez. It would be whitecloud to step into his role

Of course, I was referring to the 3rd pair.

 

[Vegan Knight]

If we can't afford to re-sign Martinez, could Vegas work a trade with Tampa Bay with the salary cap nightmare they're in along with the expansion draft threat to get Cernak for Hague or Korczak 1 for 1?

It would give them an exempt, younger, cheaper player with promise for a player who is more developed. For us Cernak only makes 2.95 for the next two seasons.

If Tampa could convince Seattle to take Johnson then they wouldn't need to gut their roster any more than that, other than letting Coleman and Goodrow possibly walk but maybe could convince Goodrow to stay for cheap if they can juggle their roster.

Having a right side of Pietrangelo, Whitecloud and Cernak and a left side of Theodore and McNabb with Cormier and one of Hague/Korczak still around (and Deliberatore, Ahac, etc.) wouldn't be a bad group. With Holden for this upcoming season and I'm sure veteran bottom pairing players would be willing to look at Vegas for cheap on a Cup run.

 

[Vegan Knight]

Friedman thinks Martinez will do very well in free agency and that Vegas probably won't be able to re-sign.

The fact that we could give him a contract at any time and are probably clearly happy with his play seems another indicator they know already it will be too rich for them.

 

[Pirate Deadpool]

Hague will do better with experience. I remember plenty of people hating Theodore during season 1 and now he's legit top pairing dman. Dmen just take longer to develop especially tall guys. I remember when Chara was still developing in what is easily the islanders worst trade of all time.

 

[The Duck Knight]

Hague will do better with experience. I remember plenty of people hating Theodore during season 1 and now he's legit top pairing dman. Dmen just take longer to develop especially tall guys. I remember when Chara was still developing in what is easily the islanders worst trade of all time.

No he absolutely is not. Anytime he's been forced to play top pairing matchups because of injuries he's struggled. He's terrible in his own zone just like he's always been. He's a top 5ish offensive D in the league though.

And while I'm a believer in Hague, based on what we've seen thus far he isn't capable of stepping into a top 4 role next season.

 

[CupInSIX]

Friedman thinks Martinez will do very well in free agency and that Vegas probably won't be able to re-sign.

The fact that we could give him a contract at any time and are probably clearly happy with his play seems another indicator they know already it will be too rich for them.

The sportsnet guys have been pulling things out of their ass about Vegas for the past 2 years. Anyone can see how tight their cap is next year and make a guess they won't find the space.

It's common practice to not distract players with contract talks during the playoffs.

 

[theslatcher]

No he absolutely is not. Anytime he's been forced to play top pairing matchups because of injuries he's struggled. He's terrible in his own zone just like he's always been. He's a top 5ish offensive D in the league though.

And while I'm a believer in Hague, based on what we've seen thus far he isn't capable of stepping into a top 4 role next season.

Theo got the MacK matchup every home game for the Avs and did great FYI

But Hague is nowhere close to what Theo was, and he wouldn't be the one stepping up. That's Whitecloud.

 

[The Duck Knight]

Theo got the MacK matchup every home game for the Avs and did great FYI

But Hague is nowhere close to what Theo was, and he wouldn't be the one stepping up. That's Whitecloud.

I didn't go through all of the games data but in G6 Holden and Whitecloud actually played more shifts against the Mackinnon line.

And I'd say the biggest factor in shutting down Colorado was slowing them down in the neutral zone. I have no issues with Theo there. He's great with his gap control and keeping an active stick. It's in the dzone where he has big problems on the wall and in front of the net.

We're talking about who would replace Martinez at LD with Petro so Whitecloud isn't an option.

 

[theslatcher]

I didn't go through all of the games data but in G6 Holden and Whitecloud actually played more shifts against the Mackinnon line.

And I'd say the biggest factor in shutting down Colorado was slowing them down in the neutral zone. I have no issues with Theo there. He's great with his gap control and keeping an active stick. It's in the dzone where he has big problems on the wall and in front of the net.

We're talking about who would replace Martinez at LD with Petro so Whitecloud isn't an option.

G6 was not a home game for the Avs.

If Whitecloud moves into the top-4, then everybody playing in the top-4 can play their natural positions.

 

[The Duck Knight]

G6 was not a home game for the Avs.

If Whitecloud moves into the top-4, then everybody playing in the top-4 can play their natural positions.

G6 was a home game for Vegas and PDB chose to use Holden-Whitecloud against Mackinnon quite a bit.

Although after going back through the data shows both teams were fine with the Theo-Mackinnon matchup. That's what the main matchup was for most of those 2 games outside of the end of game 3 when it was all Martinez-Petro. So it looks like the idea was Theo versus Mack for the first 50 minutes. Then if the game is tight Petro. If the game is in hand PDB didn't care who was out there.

The games in Colorado were the same story. Lots of Mack and Theo overlap in the first 50 minutes more Petro against Mack in the last 10.

The problem I'd have with Theo-Whitecloud is Mcnabb-Petro did not look like a great fit this year. Granted that was all before Petro's game took off so it could look better if they tried it again.