Tampa Bay Lightning: What Martin St. Louis Means To Me
Former Tampa Bay Lightning captain Martin St. Louis represented much more than simply the player Lightning fans saw on the ice.
Just like every other team in the National Hockey League, players come and go from our lives in an instant. When all is said and done, hockey is much more than a game, it’s a business. Much like any employee, players go where the business takes them.
At the same time, once in a lifetime comes a player who leaves a lasting impact on their fans. Someone who embodies everything the sport of hockey is about and someone who transcends your typical stereotype. This player, for me, is former Lightning captain Martin St. Louis.
I have watched hockey for most of my life; however, it wasn’t until 2001 when I truly found my passion for the game. It was the 2000-01 season when I finally got to see my first game live and in person. The atmosphere was electric. The fans were so dedicated to their team, and you could feel it resonate throughout the building.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Then, it happened. A little guy no one had really heard of at the time went speeding down the ice and all of a sudden, the goal horn sounded. Everyone jumped to their feet and started cheering as loud as they could. This player would be none other than Martin St. Louis.
Once the cheering went back down to the normal roar of a hockey game, I really started to ask myself, who was this little guy who sped across the ice so deftly and made a play happen with such ease. Being the inquisitive soul I am, I had to know everything about him.
From this point on, it was like a match made in heaven. I knew in my heart I would be a Tampa Bay Lightning fan for the rest of my life. You see, Martin St. Louis is so much more than the player the Tampa Bay community has come to know and love on the ice.
Marty embodies something very special. St. Louis is living and breathing proof no matter what the world tells you; “you’re not good enough,” “you’re not big enough,” “you’ll never succeed,” or any other negative narrative someone wants to paint of you, you can achieve whatever you put your mind to. All it takes is hard work and determination.
As most Tampa Bay Lightning fans know by now, Martin St. Louis entered the National Hockey League undrafted. This was mostly because of his five-foot-eight-inch tall stature. Considering the fact I’m five-foot-seven-inches tall, I wouldn’t exactly consider this short, but when you compare him to the like of Ben Bishop, who is five inches shy of being seven foot tall, one can easily see where the league was coming from.
What would one day prove to be a painful loss for the Calgary Flames would eventually turn out to be one of the best things to ever happen for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Who would’ve thought it would be Martin St. Louis who would score the goal in double overtime to beat his former team and force a Game 7 in the 2004 Stanley Cup Final.
Without the quick thinking and playmaking ability of a young Martin St. Louis, the Tampa Bay Lightning may never have raised the Stanley Cup high above their heads. Who knows how many games may have gone the other way had Marty not been on the ice.
Unfortunately, there are some people in the Bolts Nation who have not been able to forgive the former Lightning captain for the way he parted ways with the team. Certainly, those fans are more than entitled to their opinions and feelings. At the same time, it’s hard to allow on blemish discount an entire career worth of time spent giving 110 percent on the ice and ultimately being the heart and soul of the team.
Obviously, I can’t speak for everyone here in the Bolts Nation; however, there is one thing I can personally guarantee you. Tonight, when Martin St. Louis’ number is raised high in the rafters of the Amalie Arena and the all-too-familiar “Louie, Louie” starts to play, I am going to be an emotional mess.
Next: BBTB Round Table: Our Favorite Martin St. Louis Moments
I assure you, what could be considered a lifetime of love for the sport and a never-ending love for my all-time favorite player will come rushing back in an instant. No matter what may come, I will wear my St. Louis jersey proud and bid one of the best players to ever wear a Lightning jersey a fond farewell as he continues his journey outside the world of pucks and ice. Thank you for the memories, Marty.