Photo Credit: Adam Hunger/USA TODAY Sports
It was a busy Friday night in the bar where I work when I was carrying a tray of beer and soda to a table when I looked up at our big screen t.v. and saw the news that Martin St. Louis wouldn’t be returning to the New York Rangers. Part of me nearly dropped the tray, and the other part of me saw it coming, what I didn’t see was that he may actually be retiring for good.
Though I am pretty upset by the news, as most True Blue faithful’s are, and those that follow hockey like it is a religion, we have all come to realize that St. Louis is probably better off retiring at this point.
He is a prime veteran who won a Stanley Cup on the 2003-04 Tampa Bay Lightning team, and his first season as a Ranger proved that he had a lot of fight left in him. In his second season, especially during playoffs, we did not see much contribution from our hero that lifted us over the Montreal Canadiens with an overtime goal in Game 4 during the Eastern Conference Finals just a season prior.
He isn’t sure whether is career will continue at this point and all of it depends on what will be presented to him once the free-agent market opens up on July 1. His family also plays a role in whatever options may become available if any. With his family based out of Connecticut, staying in the East would be ideal.
The level of interest and which teams contact him first play a big part in his decision, but he is still training hard and working out as if he’s playing again next season. Even though he just recently turned the big 4-0, not only can his age seem as a disadvantage to some teams, but so could the fact that he only scored one playoff goal in 19 games with the Rangers. On the upside, he put up 21 goals in the regular season and can still skate.
For the right salary, he could be a vital add-on for any time. He may not get answers right away, but if he pursues it long and hard enough, the right opportunity may just skate right up to him. After all, things worked out for Martin Brodeur and Jaromir Jagr who are both close in age with St. Louis.
[…] after Martin St. Louis announced that he would not be returning to the Rangers, the heartbreaking, shocking, but expected […]