Martin St. Louis retires, leaves behind amazing career
Ultimately, St. Louis will be remembered for defying the odds. Nobody that weighs close to 175 pounds is supposed to last in the NHL for a year or two, let alone 16. St. Louis was tougher than he was ever given credit for, always willing to go into the dangerous parts of the ice for an important goal or assist.
The Canadian played out of the limelight for the majority of his career, working magic on a Tampa Bay team that now fills its building on a consistent basis. Hockey is on the map down in Tampa due in large part to St. Louis, who created excitement and star power, jump-starting the idea that hockey was cool in Florida. Even though it is time, it is tough to see such a great player hang up the skates.
Then again, St. Louis likely considers himself very fortunate. He was able to win a Stanley Cup, reach the Final twice, and rarely missed time for injuries. From 2002-2010, St. Louis missed two games … total. St. Louis reached the peak of his profession after nobody gave him a chance, and he leaves the ice with all the hardware he could ever dream of.
When folks go to visit the Hall of Fame in the future, they will see the plaque dedicated to St. Louis and read of his accomplishments. They will lay eyes on the Stanley Cup and read his name engraved on the side of the silver. They will go home and check out his highlights on YouTube, and marvel at what a player he once was. It will shock many how little they knew of the greatness they were watching from a distance, always knowing but never truly realizing.
Finally, St. Louis will be appreciated.