Martinez of Blackhawks announces retirement, plays final NHL game

CHICAGO -- Alec Martinez played his final NHL game on Saturday, announcing he would retire before the Chicago Blackhawks' 5-4 shootout loss to the Winnipeg Jets.

The 37-year-old had 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 44 games for the Blackhawks this season. He signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Blackhawks on July 1.

“You’re going to make me tear up. I’ve got to get ready for a game but obviously a lot of different emotions today,” Martinez told Blackhawks color analyst Darren Pang prior to the game.

“Just very thankful, very appreciative. I have a lot of people, my family, a lot of people who helped me along the way in this game to get here. Once I got here, my wife (Emily), my son, my daughter that I’m going to have in about five days. Just I suppose I’ll have more time to reflect in the coming weeks, but just very thankful, very appreciative of a lot of different things and a lot of different people.”

Blackhawks forward Patrick Maroon announced his retirement in the same manner last month, telling Pang prior to the Blackhawks’ game at the St. Louis Blues (Maroon is a St. Louis native) that this season would be his last in the NHL. Maroon played his final game with the Blackhawks on Saturday, as well.

"I’m not really one for the limelight so it’s nice that it was sort of deflected on him, too," Martinez said. "Patty and I obviously haven’t played together until this year but we knew each other before. he’s a hell of a guy, a hell of a person. I told him, there’s no one else I’d rather, if we both have to hang them up, it’s pretty cool we could do it together. He’s one hell of a person, he’s one hell of a competitor. Three Cups ain’t bad.”

A fourth-round pick (No. 95) for the Los Angeles Kings in the 2007 NHL Draft, Martinez has 289 points (88 goals, 201 assists) in 862 career games with the Kings, Vegas Golden Knights and Blackhawks. He also has 37 points (14 goals, 23 assists) in 131 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Martinez won the Stanley Cup with the Kings in 2012 and 2014 and with the Golden Knights in 2023. He scored the Cup-clinching goal for the Kings in double overtime against the New York Rangers in Game 5 of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.

"It’s a privilege to play in this league and to have played for (16) years, I never thought I was ever going to do that and I think a lot of other people didn’t think I was going to, either," Martinez said. "But grateful and thankful for having the opportunity for all the people along the way that help you get there. I’ve been fortunate to have a few really good opportunities to thank them and tonight will be another one. But very appreciative of the organizations I’ve played for, the guys I’ve played with, the guys I was able to learn from. And in the second half, very appreciative of some of the guys I tried to teach what a lot of guys taught me. Yeah, just very thankful, grateful and very fortunate to have been around those people.”

Martinez returned to the lineup on Saturday after missing nine games with a hip injury sustained in Chicago’s 4-1 loss to the Blues on March 22. Pang said Martinez’s mom and dad were also in Chicago for Saturday’s game.

“It truly is the best part. I’ve said that a lot this week, I feel like a broken record. The best part about this game are the people you meet along the way and the friendships that last forever and that’s the most special thing,” Martinez said.

After the game, Winnipeg players stayed on the ice to congratulate both Martinez and Maroon on their retirements.

"I'm so happy that I got to share with ‘Marty’ tonight," Maroon said. " A guy that's a big-time player, scored big-time goals, a hell of a hockey player, competitor, three Stanley Cups. There's no better person I would like to spend it with. We have six Cups between the two of us, and I know how much hard work he put into his career and the ups and downs he's been through, but most importantly, he's just a great family man.”

Saturday was the final regular-season home game for the Blackhawks (23-46-11), who have been eliminated from playoff contention. The Blackhawks have two regular-season road games remaining, at the Montreal Canadiens on Monday and the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday.