Sun Apr 13 12:30:00 UTC 2025: ## Three-Time Stanley Cup Champion Alec Martinez Retires After 16-Season NHL Career

**CHICAGO** – Longtime NHL defenseman Alec Martinez announced his retirement from professional hockey on Saturday, bringing an end to a 16-season career highlighted by three Stanley Cup championships. The 37-year-old played his final game for the Chicago Blackhawks in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Winnipeg Jets.

Martinez, a fourth-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Kings in 2007, amassed 289 points (88 goals, 201 assists) in 862 regular season games with the Kings, Vegas Golden Knights, and Blackhawks. His playoff resume is equally impressive, boasting 37 points (14 goals, 23 assists) in 131 games. He is best remembered for scoring the double-overtime game-winning goal in Game 5 of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final, securing the championship for the Kings.

“It’s a privilege to play in this league and to have played for 16 years,” Martinez said in a pre-game interview. He expressed gratitude for his family, teammates, and the organizations he played for throughout his career.

Martinez’s retirement coincided with that of Blackhawks teammate Patrick Maroon, creating a poignant shared farewell. Both players received heartfelt congratulations from opposing Winnipeg Jets players after the game. Maroon praised Martinez as a “big-time player” and a “great family man.”

The Blackhawks, already eliminated from playoff contention, have two remaining road games before the end of the regular season. Martinez’s impressive career, marked by exceptional skill and team success, concludes with a legacy as one of the NHL’s most decorated defensemen.

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