Martinez - Top NHL Defender for Feb 2016

[PuckinUgly57]

February's top NHL defender: Alec Martinez

Not a bad job for a 4th round pick. Not a T2 defender but a solid second pairing guy, nice to see him get recognition for his game.

 

[Kings4OT]

He has been playing very well lately.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Kings seem to hit some home runs in the 4th round throughout their history. Went back 30 years, original Kings picks who went on to have at least some decent time at the NHL level:

1988 - Blake
1991 - Zhitnik
1997 - Corvo
1998 - Kip Brennan
1999 - McGrattan
2000 - Visnovsky
2007 - King and Martinez
2009 - Linden Vey
2011 - Mersch, getting his NHL feet wet
2013 - Fasching, Hobey Baker nominee

That's what a good scouting staff is supposed to do, find NHL players in the deeper rounds. I don't really count 1st and in some cases 2nd round picks (depending on the spot - 31st overall is 2nd round but almost a 1st round pick for example), it's too easy to get good players there and take credit for them.

Unless you're Al Murray.

=)~~

It takes a lot of stupid to mess up a 1st round pick.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I should add an asterisk on Fasching, he obviously hasn't played at the NHL level yet. Being a HB nominee is good but until recent years with guys like Gaudreau and Eichel it's almost a curse to win it, they don't really do well in the NHL (Kariya was the only superstar of the bunch over his career).

 

[ouendan1]

didn't the Kings trade Fasching to Buffalo?

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Yup, in the McNabb deal.

The deal is officially McNabb and two 2nd round picks to LA for Fasching and Nic Deslauriers, but the two picks (2014, 2015) coming back to LA were the picks they gave up for Regehr in 2013 so the deal was essentially Fasching/Deslauriers for McNabb. He hasn't hit the NHL yet but has made great strides in college, should be interesting to see if he carries that over to the NHL.

Need McNabb to make some big steps here soon, that deal is looking more and like a loss each day because of McNabb's inconsistency.