Patrick Maroon, a Blackhawks forward, announced his retirement, marking the end of his NHL career after this season. He expressed gratitude for sharing this moment with teammate Alec Martinez, who also concluded his career. Martinez, a fourth-round pick in the 2007 NHL Draft, amassed 289 points in 862 games across teams like the Kings and Golden Knights, winning three Stanley Cups. Reflecting on his 16-year career, he expressed appreciation for the teams, players, and mentors who influenced him, stating he never anticipated playing so long and felt privileged for the opportunity in the league.
Patrick Maroon, a forward for the Blackhawks, shared his retirement news last month in a similar fashion, informing Pang before the Blackhawks’ match against the St. Louis Blues (Maroon hails from St. Louis) that this season would mark the end of his NHL career. He also played his last game with the Blackhawks on Saturday.
“I’m not really one for the limelight, so it’s nice that it was sort of deflected on him, too,” Martinez expressed. “Patty and I obviously haven’t played together until this year, but we knew each other before. He’s an outstanding person and competitor. I told him, there’s no one else I’d rather retire with, so it’s pretty cool we could do it together. Three Cups ain’t bad.”
Drafted in the fourth round (No. 95) by the Los Angeles Kings during the 2007 NHL Draft, Martinez has amassed 289 points (88 goals, 201 assists) over the course of 862 career games with the Kings, Vegas Golden Knights, and Blackhawks. He has also contributed 37 points (14 goals, 23 assists) in 131 Stanley Cup Playoff appearances.
Martinez triumphed in the Stanley Cup with the Kings in both 2012 and 2014, as well as with the Golden Knights in 2023. Notably, he scored the Cup-clinching goal for the Kings in double overtime against the New York Rangers during Game 5 of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.
“It’s an honor to have played in this league for (16) years; I never imagined I would reach that milestone, and I believe many others didn’t think I would either,” Martinez shared. “I’m thankful for the opportunity and for everyone who has supported me along the way. I’ve been lucky to have several amazing chances to express my gratitude, and tonight will be yet another one. I’m deeply appreciative of the organizations I’ve played for, the teammates I’ve had, and the lessons learned from them. In the latter part of my career, I’m especially thankful for the opportunity to share knowledge with some players, just as others did for me. I feel incredibly lucky to have been surrounded by such remarkable people.”