Should the Philadelphia Flyers Consider Acquiring Alec Martinez?

By Deanna Vasso
Should the Flyers consider acquiring Alec Martinez from the Los Angeles Kings?
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

If the Philadelphia Flyers don’t like what they see in the Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin, they can also look into acquiring his teammate and fellow defenseman, Alec Martinez.

Martinez, an American NHL player, was drafted by the Kings in the 2007 entry-level draft. He has had his fair share of struggles, but has been on the right path since 2011 when he signed a two-year contract with the Kings worth a total of $1,475,000. Due to this, his qualifying offer is a bit steeper than Muzzin’s. Martinez’s offer would have to be at $774,375, but it still wouldn’t really break the bank for the Flyers.

For the Flyers, trying to acquire Martinez from the Kings comes with a bit larger price tag, but not nearly as much as they would need for Keith Yandle or Mark Streit. Ultimately, Martinez may in fact be the better player and option to draft from the Kings.

Having been apart of the Stanley Cup team, Martinez has found success in L.A. He’s not quite as physical as Muzzin, he had only 30 hits, and his 30 shots on goal show that he’s not quite as eager to get to the net. What he lacks in these areas, he makes up for them in what matters for a defenseman. He blocked 31 shots and only gave the puck away 13 times this season. Seeing a low turnover on a defenseman’s stats is something the Flyers really need to be interested in. Despite Martinez’s positive qualities, the Flyers will also need to keep in mind that he only played in 27 games this season.

The Flyers should really consider Martinez as a solid defensive option in the postseason. Like his teammate, he’s not a defensive star, but he’d be a good player to grab for the extra depth that the team really needs. The Flyers really should try to get Yandle, he may be their best option to help the struggling defense, but making a safe move for Muzzin or Martinez would also be a smart move.

Deanna Vasso is a Flyers writer for www.rantsports.com, you can follow her on Twitter, like her on Facebook and join her Google network.

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