Defenseman Alec Martinez was the big addition for the Golden Knights at last year’s trade deadline, and he fit in quite well with his new team. Now, the 33-year-old is entering the final year of his contract and is eligible for an extension. For the time being at least, that doesn’t seem to be on the forefront, as he told reporters, including David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal:
"I think if the team’s successful, then individuals are successful. The business side will take care of itself. To answer your question if I put a whole lot of thought into it, no, I haven’t. I’m just trying to get ready for this year."
While Martinez has never been a big point producer, he has been an effective top-four shutdown defender for several years now. As a result, he should be able to land a raise in free agency on his current $4M AAV. The Golden Knights have only a little over $5M in cap room for next season with multiple roster spots to fill though, so they might have to get creative if they want to keep him in the fold.
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