Martinez will always hold a memorable place in Los Angeles Kings lore. In a 12-day span, the Rochester Hills, Michigan, native became the first NHL defenseman to score the clinching goal in two playoff series in the same season, including the Game 5 double-overtime winner against the New York Rangers that clinched the Stanley Cup for the Kings in 2014.

A fourth-round pick (No. 95) of the Kings in the 2007 NHL Draft, Martinez uses quick feet and crisp passing to help his team move the puck up the ice. He made his NHL debut in the Kings' 2009-10 season-opener Oct. 3, 2009, against the Phoenix Coyotes, his only game before being returned to the American Hockey League.

After playing four games with Los Angeles in 2009-10, Martinez scored his first NHL goal in his first game with the Kings the following season, Nov. 24, 2010 against the Montreal Canadiens. He finished the season eighth among rookie defensemen with 16 points and made his Stanley Cup Playoff debut that season. Martinez played all six games of Los Angeles' first-round series against the San Jose Sharks and got his first NHL playoff point with an assist in Game 6.

A semi-regular in the Kings lineup in 2011-12, Martinez played in all 20 games of Los Angeles' run to its first Stanley Cup title in 2012. He scored first NHL playoff goal, the game-winner, in L.A.'s 4-0 victory in Game 3 of the Cup Final.

In 2013-14 he led Kings defensemen with 11 goals. He began his 2014 playoff heroics with two goals and five points as the Kings reeled off six straight wins against San Jose and the Anaheim Ducks in the first two rounds. His goal in overtime of Game 7 of the Western Conference Final against the Chicago Blackhawks sent L.A. to the Stanley Cup Final with a 5-4 victory.

Martinez followed that with a double-overtime goal in Game 5 of the Final against the Rangers for a 3-2 victory. That goal gave the Kings their second title in three seasons and left Martinez tied for second among defensemen with five playoff goals that season.

After scoring 10 goals in 2015-16, Martinez had an NHL career-high 39 points (nine goals, 30 assists) in 2016-17. The Kings traded him to the Vegas Golden Knights on Feb. 19, 2020.

NOTES & TRANSACTIONS

• CCHA First All-Star Team (2008)
• NCAA West Second All-American Team (2008)
• Signed as a free agent by TPS Turku (Finland), October 5, 2012.
• Signed as a free agent by Allen (CHL), December 31, 2012.
• Traded to Vegas by Los Angeles for a 2nd-round pick in 2020 NHL Draft and a 2nd-round pick in 2021 NHL Draft, February 19, 2020.