Waiting Game Continues For Alec Martinez
Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
So far, the Chicago Blackhawks plan to solidify their defense and get some rings in the room hasn’t quite worked out. They signed 37-year-old veteran Alec Martinez, a three-time Stanley Cup winner, to a one-year deal this offseason. After his first four games, however, he suffered a groin injury that’s kept him out ever since. And if Rob Couch of The Hockey News is to be believed, he’ll be out even longer.
Martinez’ target date is now being set at around November 14, over a week after the initial timetable. That’s not terribly surprising, as groin injuries are notorious for nagging and being slow to heal. Still, it’s discouraging to see an important veteran addition to the team miss what will amount to at least 10 games.
To Chicago’s credit, their defense hasn’t exactly been the problem this season. One year after ranking 31st in goals per hour at 5-on-5 (3.04), the Blackhawks have improved to 11th in that statistic, surrendering just 2.15 goals per hour. Give credit to the goaltending, particularly Arvid Söderblom‘s hot start, but the underlying numbers have also seen improvement.
But Martinez being healthy should give Chicago a boost on the offensive side. Even as he’s aged into his mid-to-late-30s, Martinez was consistently able to drive offense for the Vegas Golden Knights. The hope is that when he’s good to go, he’ll give a similar bump to a team where scoring is still tough to come by.
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