About Last Season: Jordan Martinook

Jordan Martinook 2021-22 By The Numbers

• Age: 29
• NHL Seasons: 7
• Scoring: 6 Goals, 9 Assists, 15 Points in 59 Games Played
• Playoff Scoring: 0 Goals, 1 Assist, 1 Point in 6 Games Played
• Advances Statistics: 58.0 CF%, 51.6 xGF%, 50.01 GF%
• Average TOI: 9:43 ES, 0:04 PP, 0:10 SH
• Contract Status: 2 Years Remaining at $1.8 Million AAV

Last offseason the Carolina Hurricanes had to make many difficult decisions. One of those decisions was what to do with their Alternate Captain Jordan Martinook. It was almost certain that trio of bottom six free agents consisting of Martinook, Warren Foegele and Brock McGinn could not all come back making north of $1.5 Million each. So the team traded Foegele to Edmonton, balked at a four-year term deal with McGinn who left for Pittsburgh, and then scurried to sign Martinook on the first day of free agency.

The ever vocal team leader, Martinook has struggled with injuries since his second season in Carolina. This year was no different as he missed time during the regular season and playoffs with lower body injuries. His play on the ice was not great this season either even when he was healthy.

Martinook scored just 15 points for an average of .25 points per game, his lowest PPG average since arriving in Carolina. He was also removed from the penalty kill unit this season despite being a mainstay for the PK during his previous three seasons in Raleigh.

The reality is Martinook is a glue guy who at best is a fourth-line player or an extra forward. Rod Brind’Amour loves him and has a tendency to move him up to the first or second line when things are going bad and that just puts Martinook in an unfair situation. He is not fast enough to play on a line with Sebastian Aho’s and Teuvo Teravainen’s nor does he having the scoring touch to be a power forward like Nino Niederreiter. You could almost describe him as a poor man’s Jesper Fast on the ice. But, everyone loves the guy to death off the ice because he does stuff like this:

Pre-Covid Martinook was a staple in the community and could be seen at the local bars hanging out with the Caniacs. He’s a Western Canadian farm boy who fits in with a southern small market crowd. That’s why he was rewarded with an A on his sweater. At the time it was absolutely needed. Justin Williams had retired and there were serious concerns for who was going to speak up in the locker room. But the time has come for guys like Aho and Andrei Svechnikov to step up and be those guys. Aho started splitting the A with Martinook this season and the Hurricanes could very well be in line to take the C whenever Jordan Staal’s time in Raleigh ends. So where does that leave Martinook?

As Carolina looks to re-tool their team in hopes of figuring out once again what went wrong this season, one area they have to look long and hard at is their scoring. From top to bottom they simply did not get enough, especially in the playoffs. Guys like Martinook don’t bring much offense to the table and their cap space can be used in better ways. Would you rather have Martinook or Derek Stepan? You simply cannot have both moving forward.

2021-22 was a tough year for Martinook. His injuries have become a major concern and his offensive decline is also alarming. Knocking on 30 years old, you have to wonder how long his body can hold up.

Looking back, was it a good move to bring back Martinook for three years at a $1.8 Million AAV when that cap space could be used in different ways? Rod Brind’Amour was vocal about wanting him back for numerous reasons and Martinook was vocal about wanting to be back. But was it the right move? The team is locked in to his deal barring a trade or a buyout and his roster spot could easily be replaced with prospects from the AHL.

Being a leader and a glue guy is worth something, but is it worth $1.8 Million when the contributions elsewhere aren’t there? That is the questions the Hurricanes front office must ponder and decide on this summer because they simply cannot afford the 2021-22 version of Martinook to take up a valuable roster space and cap space.

Exit Interview

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